The Expelled
by Jenni N
Summary: One Dance, safe, right? WRONG! This one dance leads to a series of mishaps. Yes, the story does stray away from the main point sometimes. It is like so now finished!
1. Charlie Bone: Expelled

Charlie Bone and his friends were walking in the garden with nothing to do and nothing to talk about. The spring morning was fresh and everyone was in high spirits. The only thing wrong is, yes, you guessed it…there's nothing exciting to do.

Charlie sighed. He waited for the others to say, "What's wrong?" but they never did. Charlie sighed again, this time louder. Silence… Charlie groaned. "I said…" He sighed even louder and longer.

"Okay, okay, we get it, you're bored…so what can we do?" snapped Olivia, her hot pink hair flying behind her as they walked. She was wearing a large blue scarf and purple high heeled boots. Her jeans were all covered with badges and all sorts of color…same goes for her shirt. The only thing "un-Dramatized" was her purple cape.

Charlie shrugged. "Something…" He was wearing his normal school uniform, just like the others in the group. Emma stole a glance at Olivia and she glanced back, smiling. Charlie noticed this and asked, "What is it?"

"Didn't you see it? It was amazing!" exclaimed Olivia, hopping up and down.

"What is?" asked Lysander, walking quickly to Olivia's side to hear well. Olivia stopped and so did everyone else, looking curiously at her…besides Emma who grinned widely.

"Oh, you'll find out soon at Breakfast…besides, we're supposed to be out here for a morning walk," Olivia began to head back to the school. "Not a morning meeting!"

Tancred looked at Emma when they were walking back. He believed that Emma's beauty blinded him every time he looked at her; her eyes, always shining with happiness and her voice sounds like birds, chirping in the morning. It made Tancred smile.

Emma kept on walking and when they got to the cafeteria, the group split up to sit at their tables; Charlie, Fidelio, Billy, Gabriel went to the Music table, Olivia to the Drama, and Emma, Tancred, and Lysander to the Art table.

Charlie sat down with his friends following his lead. "So what do you think the 'thing' is?" asked Billy, adjusting his glasses.

Charlie shrugged. "I don't know…maybe something good. It better be good, I would want a good laugh."

Charlie leaned his head over to the aisle and tried to catch a glimpse at the front table where the staff sits at. He hoped that one of the teachers would explain. Fidelio tapped him on the shoulder, holding back a laugh and pointed in the other direction. "Look," he whispered.

Charlie turned his head, snorting with laughter when he tried to hold it back. Manfred was at the doorway, wearing make-up and a dress. His face burned with anger and embarrassment.

"How did that happen?" Billy asked, smiling widely. He let out a small laugh and clamped his mouth shut with his hands.

"Alright, whoever laughs gets three detentions!" Manfred roared, silencing all laughs, giggles, chuckles, and snickering.

"Who glued this dress on and who put un-washable makeup on me? WHO??!!" Manfred bellowed.

Every head turned around, looking for any guilty faces. In the Drama Department, it's usually harder because they act innocent…although some are looking away as the funniness was too much. Someone glues a white powdered wig with elegant curls on Manfred's head. His face was red with anger.

Manfred looked over to the music table. "BONE!!!!"

Charlie looked around, alarmed. "Why does he always blame me?" Charlie hissed.

Manfred stomped down the aisle and pulled Charlie out of his seat. He fell flat on the floor. "What?" Charlie asked roughly.

"Did you do this?" Manfred asked in a low and angry voice.

"No, but I wish I did." Charlie said, furious. "No can you leave me alone? I'm trying to eat my breakfast and your ugly face is ruining my appetite."

Everyone gasped. Charlie stared with horror at what he had just said. "I know, triple detention for me…great…on it." Charlie mumbled, sliding back in to his seat.

Manfred yanked him out of his seat again. "No, you don't have detention."

Charlie's gaze went to Manfred's eyes with a questioning look.

"You're EXPELLED!"

Charlie gaped at Manfred who looked content. "What? But I didn't do anything!!!"

"That's what they all say." Manfred said, pointing to the doors. "What are you waiting for? You're done, I'm through with you."

Charlie looked back at his friends who looked astonished. Charlie looked at the Drama department. Olivia's eyes were wide with terror. Over at the Art table, Emma, Tancred, and Lysander were all standing up to get a better view. Charlie could see their horrified looks.

Charlie slowly got up and looked Manfred in the eye. Charlie could feel everyone's eyes on him, watching.

Charlie turned to go without looking back. He planned to lock himself in his dorm but Manfred went to go get Charlie's stuff. Charlie took a deep shuddering breath and opened the wide doors and down the steps. He had just noticed that everyone got up and looked out of the windows from the halls watching him depart.

"Great…" Charlie muttered. "Now I'm the center of attention and I didn't do anything…"

Charlie could feel strong winds coming and it started to rain heavily. He turned around. "TANCRED!!! Do you mind if you calm down? It would be easier for me to leave!!!"

Everyone turned to look at Tancred, who backed up turning red. "Sorry…" Tancred yelled back. "But please, don't go!!!"

Then everyone began to yell complaints about Charlie leaving, that is, everyone who isn't a rival of Charlie's. They began to whoop with joy.

Olivia looked into Charlie's eyes, talking him out of leaving with her own. Charlie didn't notice, he just stood there, grateful that Tancred calmed a little, in the light rain.

Billy's red eyes were filled with worry and sorrow. Charlie was one of the first one to believe he was good. "Charlie, please!"

Charlie shook his head and when Manfred came out with his bags, Charlie piled them into Dr. Bloor's car and got inside himself, turning away from the crowd.

Olivia backed up and left, brokenhearted.


	2. Away

Charlie leaned his head on the window of Dr. Bloor's car. Inside, his emotions are mixed up, in anger, shock, sadness, confusion, and disbelief. He watched the rain falling from the sky and down to the ground. How could Manfred blame him? And who really did that to him?

The car then pulled up to his house and Charlie opened the door of the car and grabbed his bags. He bowed his head down and walked slowly up to the steps of his house and knocked. He heard Dr. Bloor get back into his car and drove off, smiling happily.

Charlie knocked again, this time louder. He heard something click and the door opened widely, revealing Maisie's face. She was wearing a white apron which has frosting and flour splattered on it. Her hair was up in a bun and in her left hand was a wooden spoon.

"Charlie? But it's only Wednesday, what are you doing back so soon?" Maisie said, motioning Charlie to come in. Charlie looked up at her face and then back down to look at his shoes.

"What happened sweetie?" Maisie asked, trailing behind Charlie as he sat down at the kitchen table.

"I don't want to talk about it." Charlie muttered.

"Who was that knocking at the door so loud?" called out an angry voice.

Charlie and Maisie's gaze went to the stairwell where Grandma Bone came stomping down. Grandma Bone's gaze went to Maisie in disgust and then to Charlie in an angry surprise type of look. "What are you doing here?" Grizelda snapped.

Charlie stared into her dark cold eyes. "What are you doing here?" Grandma Bone repeated, walking up to him.

"What does it matter to you?" asked Charlie daringly.

Maisie's hand patted Charlie shoulders in a kind and loving way, looking from Charlie to Grandma Bone. Grandma Bone was wearing her hair in a bun too, but in a more elegant way. She was wearing a grey dress with five black buttons on the front and black lace around the collar. Her black shoes make no noise when she walked.

Grizelda looked baffled. "What did you say to me boy? What did you say?" she asked Charlie in a threatening voice, sounding like she was daring Charlie to say that again.

Charlie stood up, glaring at his paternal grandmother's eyes. "I said; what does it matter to you?"

Maisie looked horrified, so horrified that she didn't notice that her muffins were burning.

Grandma Bone looked furious. She stuck her hand into her pocket and pulled out a glove and used it to smack Charlie on the face with it. Charlie stumbled and fell onto the kitchen ground, feeling the place where his grandmother had slapped him. He could tell it was glowing red. He looked up as tears were rolling down his cheek with anger.

"Grizelda, how could you?" Maisie cried, bending down to comfort Charlie, who was back on his feet again.

"Stay out of this! This is between this pathetic boy and me." Grizelda snapped.

"What's going on down there?!" Lyell Bone (Charlie's father) called, coming into the kitchen.

When he saw the scene, he stood there, looking at Charlie's red cheek and his own mother's glove in her hand.

"Mother, what are you doing?" Mr. Bone cried with anger. "That is no way to treat my son and your grandson! What do you have to say to yourself?"

"That he is pathetic and useless!" Grandma Bone screeched.

Lyell put his arm around Charlie and glared at his mother. "Living room, now!" he barked.

"You don't tell me what to do! I am your mother!" Grizelda said curtly.

"Really, funny way of showing it; shouting at your son who is protecting his son from you!" Charlie and Maisie stared. Usually Paton and Grandma Bone have these arguments.

"Why you…I raised you better than this!"

"You never even try to find me! You knew I was hypnotized all these years, didn't you?"

"I did not!"

"How do I know you're not lying?"

Grandma Bone gasped. "You dare call me a liar?"

Lyell turned to Charlie. "You might want to go upstairs to your room; I'll talk to you later." Lyell whispered.

Charlie nodded. He ran upstairs and could hear Grandma Bone shouting, "I told you, this is my argument with that boy!"

Charlie ran into his room and slammed it. He quickly locked the door and jumped onto his bed; hiding his face into his pillow and secretly crying softly.

_**Back At Bloors…**_

__Olivia sat in the library, staring stupidly at a blank sheet of paper, holding a pen in her right hand. On her left side, there lay open a thick book on the history of Prime Ministers. She was supposed to write an essay on it but she couldn't help but think about Charlie.

"Oh no," she murmured to herself as she felt another tear emerging from her eyes. She wiped it off with the back of her left hand and sniffed. "I have to do something, I can't take it anymore…" she muttered to herself.

She closed her text book and gathered her papers and left the library, climbing the stairs to her dormitory. She laid her stuff onto her bed and looked out the window. The sky was a bright blue and it was cloudless. She would smile and feel light and happy if Charlie didn't leave, but now she felt depress and hurt. _How could he?_ Olivia thought with anger. _He didn't want to go, why didn't he protest?_

She sat down on her bed, on the side without her school stuff and cried into her hands as soft as she could.

(I know, so sad, isn't it? *cries* Well, it has to make you all feel emotional so I can see how I'm like in writing sad things…so if you would review and tell me how it's like, that would help my writing! Thanks and, hang on there Olivia and Charlie, I will make things better…Back to the story.)

"Olivia?" a voice outside called. Olivia looked up and called out, "Just a minute!" She was proud that her voice didn't quiver. She grabbed a corner of her sheet and wiped her eyes with it. Once her eyes were dry she _opened the door. _"Hi Emma, what are you doing here?" Olivia said in a false cheery voice_. Too happy, argh!_

Emma came into Olivia's dorm with worried eyes. "Olivia, are you okay? I was just checking to make sure-"

"Of course I'm okay, why wouldn't I?" asked Olivia.

Emma paused. "Well, Charlie just left a few hours ago so, I was just checking."

Olivia shrugged. "I'm alright, just a bit upset but nothing else."

"Okay…" Emma's hair was ties in a pony tail and a pencil behind her right ear. She wore her usual art uniform and she held a book on art theories.

Olivia brushed her hot pink hair out of her eyes. "Have you checked everyone else?"

Emma said, "Well, not really."

Olivia looked at Emma for a while, who shifted uncomfortably. "What?" Olivia asked.

"What, what?" Emma asked.

"What do you mean what, what? I meant what."

"What did I do to make you say what that made me say what, what that made you say what do you mean by what, what when you meant what?" Emma asked, bewildered.

"You shifted and I said what, meaning why are you shifting?" Olivia said, clearing everything up.

Emma hesitated. "_What_?"

Olivia groaned. "Now you're just messing with me."

Emma laughed. "Yeah, you're right."

Olivia shook her head. "Too many of a word in a sentence makes my head spin."

Emma shrugged. "That happened a bit to me. So…you wanna go see how the others are doing?"

Olivia nodded, heading to the door. "I finally have an excuse to not do my essay."

Emma laughed, following Olivia down the stairs and out the door, hunting down their friends.

_**At Charlie's House…**_

__Charlie had stopped crying and sat up, drying his eyes. He then heard a knock on his door from outside. Charlie got up and opened the door. His father stood their, looking pale and weary. "Let's talk about a few things now."

Charlie nodded slightly and sat back down on his bed, wishing that he turned the pillow he had cried on over so his father wouldn't see the wet spots on the pillow. Lyell didn't even notice.

"Now, Charlie, why are you here early?" Lyell asked.

Charlie could feel tears leaking out. _Why now?! _Charlie thought angrily. Lyell reached over and wiped the tears off of Charlie's face. _Great, now I feel like a 4 year old…_

Charlie gave out a shuddering sigh and said, "This morning, Manfred came into the cafeteria dressed like a lady…"

Lyell chuckled at that, making Charlie smile a bit. "He was really embarrassed. He blamed it on me though, for putting it on him and gluing it on him so it won't come off, and expelled me…" Charlie looked down at his hands, which were now fingering his cape.

Lyell sighed. He patted Charlie on the back. "Do you know who did it though?"

Charlie shook his head. "Are you sure it wasn't you?" Lyell asked quietly. It wasn't quiet enough.

Charlie sprang up and pointed at his dad. "You think I actually did it?" Charlie yelled angrily.

"I didn't say that!"

"It sounded like you did!"

"Now Charlie…"

Charlie made his way to the door and yanked it open and stormed out.

Lyell shook his head sadly. "Why oh why did I say that?"

Charlie marched downstairs where Grandma Bone was standing in the kitchen still, shouting things at Maisie. "He is pathetic!" Grandma Bone yelled.

"He is not!" Maisie yelled back.

Charlie tip toed downstairs. Maisie saw him and Charlie shook his head and put a finger to his lips. Maisie looked back to Grandma Bone, shouting, "He is a great and wonderful boy!"

Charlie tip toed out the door, slowly opening it. He ran across the street and around the corner. Charlie was trying to get to the park but then he figured something out. "I can go to the bookshop! Miss Ingledew can help me! I wonder if Uncle Paton is there…"

Charlie turned back and ran back. Once he got to Ingledew's Bookshop, he opened the door and expected to see Emma's aunt.

Julia looked up from the counter and smiled at Charlie. "Charlie, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at school? Wait, this isn't an emergency, is it?" she asked in horror. "Is Emma okay, is she hurt, what about everyone else?"

Charlie shook his head frantically. "No, they're not in danger…I need your help…I can't go back to my house…everyone is too mad…I got expelled for no reason at all!"

"What? They can't do that!" Julia said, coming around the corner. "They have all of that paperwork to do; they can't just kick you out! Why would they anyway, you're not the kind who goes into troublemaking, only when you have to save something!"

Charlie shrugged. "You don't mind if you hide me here, do you, just for a few weeks."

Julia paused. "I don't know…I would love to but wouldn't you get into more trouble?"

"I'm already in more trouble than usual."

"Is that even possible?" Julia joked, trying to cheer Charlie up a notch.

Charlie did smile but then his face grew serious. "I'm afraid so…"

"Oh, Charlie, I don't know what to say…I'll try the best I can. I can tell Paton, can I?"

"Just as long if he doesn't blame me then its okay." Charlie answered.

Julia nodded. "I'll call him right away. Oh, and Charlie?"

Charlie looked up. "Yeah?"

"Would you be so kind if you don't touch the dress in the back and the decorations?"

"Why?" asked Charlie, looking around in her living room. "Are you getting married?"

Julia blushed. "Well, yes. Didn't Emma tell you?"

Charlie gasped. "I remember now! I still don't like it when I found out I was supposed to be her nephew!"

(Remember? For those who haven't read my first Charlie Bone book, Love Does Damage, a Lot of Damage, you have no clue whatsoever to what I'm talking about. If you don't want to read it all, just read the chapter, The Battle of Bloors)

"I can imagine your look!" Julia laughed.

"When's the wedding?"

"We're getting married on June 1st, the first day of the month of love."

"That's sweet." Charlie said, sitting down on the couch.

"Yes…I better call Paton, wait here, if you want something to eat, there are some home made biscuits on the counter." Julia called returning to her shop.

Charlie realized that he didn't eat anything since…the morning. He looked at his brand new watch and found out that it was nearly 9 o'clock. "Time goes by fast…" Charlie muttered, getting up to go to the kitchen.

When he came back with a few biscuits, he found out that he wanted to go and get some fresh air. It was the middle of April so, why not? It's spring!

He went back to the shop, finding Julia and three customers browsing her collection. "Hey, um, Miss Ingledew? Can I go outside and stretch my legs a bit more?" Charlie asked.

Julia nodded and Charlie smiled. He slipped out of the shop and began walking. He felt like going to the Pet's Café.

He then froze on the sidewalk when he realized that he didn't have a pet with him. "Darn it!"

He dug deep into his pockets and found out that he had some money in his pocket. He finished the rest of his biscuits and went to Tony's Ice Cream Parlor.

He entered the shop and took a big whiff of the fresh ice cream. He went to the counter and asked, "Can I have a Banana Split with extra cherries?" The woman there nodded.

As soon as he paid for the ice cream, he sat down and started to enjoy himself. Then he saw Manfred walking glumly to the ice cream parlor. Charlie turned away and heard Manfred walking in. _What is he doing here?_ Charlie thought suspiciously.

"Can I talk to Hannah Porter?" Manfred said in a low voice.

The man at the counter looked confused. "Que?" The man spoke Spanish.

Manfred narrowed his eyes. "Can. I. Speak. To. Hannah. Porter?"

The man shrugged and called out, "Maria!"

The woman who took Charlie's order came up and said, "I am so sorry, my husband does not speak English. I brought him here so he could learn how to speak. I don't know how he got to the counter; he was supposed to make the ice cream. What is it that you want?"

"I wish to speak with Hannah Porter."

"So you are Manfred Bloor?" Maria asked.

Manfred nodded.

"Right this way."

Manfred followed Maria into the back. Charlie looked back at the counter. "I wonder…" Charlie muttered, unaware that one of the cherries fell onto his lap.


	3. Olivia's Hysteria

Emma and Olivia were walking down to the gardens when Tancred popped out of nowhere and smiled at Emma. Olivia grinned and ran off after giving Emma a quick wink. Emma looked down, blushing.

"Hey, Emma, would you help me on something?" Tancred asked, running his hand through his blonde crackling hair.

Emma smiled sweetly at him. "Sure, what is it?"

Tancred opened his mouth to say something but then he frowned. Emma frowned back. "What is it?"

"I thought I saw someone standing behind that new statue of Ezekiel…I guess I was imagining things…"

Emma laughed. "No, I think Olivia went ahead and alert all the other guys to come and record something…"

*FLASHBACK TIME! (For those who read The Epilogue in Love Does Damage, a Lot of Damage will understand more!) Emma chased her friends all the way near the back of the garden. "Man, for a girl like her, she has a lot of energy!" Olivia panted. Then everyone stopped, falling to the ground panting heavily. Emma caught up with them and stared them down even deeper. "You know what I'm going to do with you???" Everyone looked at each other. "Not really…" Billy panted. Emma grinned evilly, I mean ebilly. "I'm going to make you all my servants until the end of March. Or choices number two. "Choice number two!" everyone said. "Okay, stay where you are and don't scream when I come and scratch your flesh off with my talons, now which type of bird, owl or hawk?" "Choice number one, CHOICE NUMBER ONE!!!" everyone yelled.*

Tancred smiled. "Well, I don't think they can record this…" Tancred leaned forward and kissed Emma right on the lips. Emma, surprised, blushed even harder and kissed him back. Tancred wrapped his arms around her waist and Emma wrapped her arms around his neck and they stayed like that until Olivia came back.

"Emma!" Olivia shouted with glee. "Finally! What took you so long?"

Tancred and Emma let go and blushed. They turned away and Olivia smiled widely, still trying to hide her laugh.

"Wish you could do that with Charlie? Is that what you want?" Tancred teased, angry that Olivia interrupted them.

Olivia stopped smiling and glared angrily at Tancred.

"Would you go away? Can't you see this isn't your time anymore?" Olivia said icily.

Tancred shrugged. "Bye Emma. Bye Drama Queen."

Emma waved and Olivia scowled. Olivia turned back to Emma. "Em, I don't know what to do! I just miss him! I know I can visit him on the weekends but I won't see him as much as I have always been."

Emma gazed sadly at her friend, patting her back. "Livvy, it's okay, we'll find a way to get him back."

Olivia looked up and then in a flash she was crying on Emma's shoulder. Emma, taken aback patted hugged Olivia. "Its okay, it's okay, don't cry, shhhhh…"

Emma felt like she was a mother of a three year old girl who had just lost her balloon.

"Don't cry Livvy, don't cry…"

Lysander and Billy appeared next to them, staring at the awkward scene. "Is Olivia okay?" asked Lysander.

"She had a rough day so far." Emma explained.

"So, right now it's only around 9:30, so…we woke up at 7:00, two hours and thirty minutes and she already has a bad day…new record you reckon." said Billy, looking at his watch.

The three watched Olivia sob her heart onto Emma's shoulder. It's a good thing Emma's so patient. Billy looked around. "Hey, Emma, isn't class starting in less than a minute?"

Emma looked up, bewildered. "You're right! Olivia, I don't want to seem rude but we have to get to class."

"What's her next class?" asked Lysander.

"French…Charlie used to be in my French class!!!" Olivia cried. She cried louder and harder. She wasn't on Emma's shoulders anymore; she was on the floor, face streaming with tears, her uncontrolled crying, her red face, her mascara and eyeliner smearing around her eyes, and her shaking figure.

Emma, Billy, and Lysander all bent down to drag her down the halls. Turns out it was a lot harder than it looked. Olivia kept on slapping their hands whenever they tried to pull her up and moved away from them, inch by inch. She had gone into hysterics.

"I don't know which was easier, evil controlled Olivia or wailing, pouting Olivia." Lysander said, pulling his left hand back when Olivia made an attempt to slap it.

"I liked evil controlled Olivia better, easier to handle." Billy said, trying to grab Olivia's cape. "But wailing Olivia isn't evil, but she is acting a bit evil." (Ebil Billy, EBIL! Sorry readers…)

Emma sighed. "Olivia, if you're not going to get up and go to class, you're going to be late. You won't go home for the weekends to see Charlie!" Emma said.

Olivia suddenly got up and ran across the halls and opened the door and ran in. "I had forgotten that the French Classroom was right there…" Billy said, staring after her.

The hunting horn sounded and the three smiled. "Do you have an extra period?" The three asked each other at the same time. "Why yes I do." They answered back.

Lysander went to the library, Billy went to visit Cook, and Emma went back to her dorm, trying to study for her math test.

(Readers, I know that you all are concerned for Olivia but I assure you that she will be fine…That is all…okay you two choices! One, wait until I have posted the next chapter or two, read the next chapter (if it's up). Okay, have a nice day or night or afternoons…just have a nice time.)


	4. Broken Tradition or Broken Heart?

Charlie looked back at the counter again. He had eaten all of his ice cream and ordered some more so he could try to find out what Manfred is up to. Charlie peered behind the counter and tried to see if anything is out of the ordinary. The man who couldn't speak English noticed this. "You too?"

Charlie gaped at him. "I thought…but you…what?"

The man chuckled. "I only pretended to not know. I just pretend so I can get a discount on the ice cream."

Charlie smiled. "Good plan…why haven't I thought of that?"

"Because I'm smart, name's Miguel. Yours?"

Charlie looked up at Miguel. "My name is Kenny." Charlie lied. He didn't trust Miguel, Manfred was up to something and Maria helped him get to this Hannah Porter person so now you know why Charlie lied.

Miguel shook his head. "Well, I see we have another boy named Kenny."

"What do you mean by that?"

"My little nephew is named Kenny; his real name though, is Kennial."

"Oh…I'm just plain Kenny, Kenny Road." Charlie said, hoping that his eyes doesn't give away that he was lying. "I'm Kenny Harry Road." _No, that's too much information! _Charlie thought.

Miguel smiled. "My nephew's full name is Kennial Jose Coronado Rodriguez. My sister's name is Emilia Mariana Rodriguez. I'm Miguel Pedro Remora. My wife's name is Maria Maya Isabella Remora. That's enough information for you right? Do I have to say my son's name?"

"No, that's okay. I like my name so I brag." Charlie said, trying to grin boastfully. _Hey, if I pulled this off and I got back into Bloor's, maybe I should try out for Drama so I can be in with Olivia! _

Miguel chuckled. "It is a mighty fine name."

Charlie grinned even wider. "I know it is."

Miguel looked back behind his shoulder and leaned a little forward. "Do you know the school called Bloor's Academy?"

Charlie eagerly answered, "Yes, why?" Charlie hoped to find out what Manfred was planning.

"Well, I heard that they're going to have a Spring Dance! I'm sponsoring and I could really use your help. What do you say?"

Charlie's face lit up. It's a perfect opportunity to dance with Olivia! "Sure, I'll help you. Um…on what?"

"I need help carrying all the boxes of ice cream. You have no idea how many orders they gave us!" Miguel exclaimed.

Charlie smiled. "How many boxes?"

"Oh, I dunno, maybe a few hundred."

"A few hundred? What, does the dance go on for a week?"

Miguel shrugged. "There are also some rumors too. This boy, Charlie Bone, he got expelled for no reason, do you know him?"

Charlie froze for a while. "Charlie Bone? Do you know what he looks like?"

Miguel shook his head. "Why would I? I work in an Ice Cream Shop."

Charlie gave out a tiny sigh in relief. "Well, I've got to go. Wait, what time do I have to be at the school?"

"Three days from now at 5 p.m., don't come here, get at the school gates."

Charlie nodded and left the shop, feeling slightly happier.

_**At Bloors Again…**_

As Olivia stumbled into her French Class, everyone looked at her with curiosity. The teacher gave her a weird look. "Take a seat Miss Vertigo." She said, pointing to the empty desk at the very back.

Olivia walked slowly to her seat, aware that every pair of eyes was on her. As she slumped down in her seat, she laid her head down. _Stupid! Charlie's expelled, not killed! Why are you crying so hard? You'll see him on the weekends! _

Olivia wiped her tears on the back of her hand and sat up straight, looking around at everyone who was staring at her with interest. "This is French Class, not Olivia Vertigo Class!" Olivia said angrily, opening her book and grabbing her pen.

_**In Emma's Dorm…**_

Emma sat on her bed, reading a book on Art Theories. She sighed and closed the book and went to the window to look outside. The sky is still blue but a few clouds could be seen. Emma looked down on the grounds, spotting a few students spending their extra period outside, talking with people.

She could see a huge group crowding around the notice board too. Emma raised her eyebrow. "I wonder what's going on…" she said to herself.

She decided to find out…

Emma walked out of her room and down the stairs and into the halls. When she got outside, she saw Billy and Lysander already at the board. "What's going on?" Emma asked, running up to them.

"The Bloor's are holding a Spring Dance!" Billy said, sadly.

"Why are you so sad?" Emma asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Well, I'm sure that Dannielle would go with me but she can't because she moved…" Billy replied, looking downhearted.

Emma patted Billy's shoulders. "It's okay, you don't have to go with a dance partner you can always go with some friends."

Lysander looked back at the board. "I wonder if it's okay if we can bring people that don't come here. Lauren would love to come."

"Did it say anything against it?" Emma said.

"No,"

"I'm sure they wouldn't notice if you bring Lauren."

"I don't know about that. The Endowed are forced to dance with someone first in front of everybody, including the teachers and the Bloors. It's part of a tradition."

"All the Endowed?" asked a shocked Billy. "Forced to dance?"

"All the endowed, including the ones that don't come to Bloors." said Lysander, rereading the notice again.

"Even the adults?" asked Emma, shivering at the thought that Charlie's evil grandmother's sisters would come.

"No, just the 'kids'." Lysander said in disgust. He didn't like to be called a 'kid'.

"In the whole world?" Billy asked.

"No, I don't think so. If it really is the whole world then it would be one heck of a party." Emma said, inching closer to the board to see the paper itself. "Hey look, there would be free refreshments! Olivia would love to go with…" Emma stopped. "Charlie…"

The three looked at each other with sorrow. "Can we bring visitors? They wouldn't notice, would they?" Lysander asked, looking at Billy, and then at Emma.

Billy scratched his head and Emma shrugged.

_**One Hour Later…**_

"Olivia, have you seen the notice? It's so amazing! I never knew that the Bloors could be so…fun!" one girl in Olivia's dorm said. "Wait, did I just say that the Bloors are fun? Who am I and what have I done with Allie Porter??" Allie added, acting heart-stricken.

Olivia looked up at her roommate. "What? What did it say?"

Allie's eyes opened wider with excitement. Her long dirty blonde hair flew behind her and her light blue eyes grew a little wider. "They're hosting a Spring Dance!"

Olivia's eyes watered a little but she quickly wiped it off and smiled widely. "No! Really? I wonder why they would do that…"

Allie shrugged. "Maybe aliens kidnapped them and replaced them with some more 'awesomer' Bloors!" The two laughed.

"So anyway, is your mom bringing the thing?" asked Olivia.

"Yeah, the Grand Eternal Ice Sculpture that never melts because it's so magical? Heck yea girl, what, did you expect some wild animal?" Allie laughed, punching Olivia in the arm playfully.

"No, I expected a friendly dragon who loves to dress up and play tea party." Olivia joked.

The two laughed again. "Hey, I have to go talk to Jessie, talk to you later Olivia!" Allie said, running towards a girl wearing a green cape.

Olivia waved and looked around to find Emma. Olivia found herself out of the halls and outside in the gardens. Olivia walked towards the notice board and read the paper and gasped when she found out that she needed to find a dance partner fast. She would normally go with Charlie but he's expelled.

"Why oh why did I have to glue girl clothes onto Manfred? I am so stupid; it's really me who should get expelled…" Olivia murmured to herself.

Olivia walked off, confused. If she went to dance with another guy, Charlie would be enraged. _But if I don't, I break a tradition and I'm afraid I'll anger the Red King._ Olivia groaned, shaking her head with anger.

_**Around Midnight…**_

Olivia was turning and twisting in her sleep…

_Olivia was floating in the middle of nowhere, confused. Then Charlie appeared in front of her, looking betrayed. "Olivia, why?" Charlie asked, hurt._

"_What did I do?" asked Olivia softly._

"_You would go to the dance with someone else…why?"_

_Olivia looked at Charlie with a sad face. Then the Red King appeared on her right side, frowning. "You are willing to break the Endowed Tradition? No Endowed had ever broke the tradition…Why would you do such a thing? I know you mean well, but if you don't, the punishment is instant death…"_

_Olivia gasped and looked at Charlie with horror. But he wasn't there. Olivia looked down and tears sprang from her eyes. Charlie laid in front of her, dead. A small trickle of blood ran from his mouth and his eyes were open. His expression was a hurt look. _

Olivia cried, sitting straight up. Her face was pale and her eyes were wide with tears streaking out and she was panting heavily. All the girls in her dorm got up and huddled around her bed, looking worried.

"Livvy, you okay?" Allie looked pale also, handing Olivia a cool glass of water.

Olivia gulped the water down her throat and shook her head. A girl named Lucy Evans bent down and wiped Olivia's eyes with a handkerchief. "Olivia, are you okay? What happened? Bad nightmare?"

"No…does anyone know anything about the Endowed Tradition on dances?" asked Olivia, looking around.

Everyone shook their heads. Olivia swung her legs over and put on her slippers. She reached into her bags beneath her bed and dug around for a flashlight. Finally she found what she was looking for. She turned it on and off, making sure it worked. It did.

"If Matron comes, tell her I'm using the bathroom." Olivia told Allie and the others. They all nodded curiously.

Olivia peeked out of the door. No one was there. Olivia tip toed out. Inside, the girls got into their beds again, waiting nervously for Olivia's return, even though she was right outside the door.

Olivia went down the stairs, trying to run silently to the library. She had to know if the Red King in her dreams was right.


	5. The Missing and The Stormy

Lyell and Amy Bone were sitting on the couch with Maisie, all looking pale and anxious. "Maybe Charlie went back to the school to demand him back in…" Maisie said, looking outside, hoping that Charlie would appear.

"No, he wouldn't do that without some help." said Amy. "Maybe he's at a friend's house, spending the night."

"All of his friends are at Bloors and why spend the night without our permission?" asked Lyell, checking his watch. It read 12:35 a.m...

"There's always Benjamin Brown who lives across the street, he doesn't attend Bloor's." said Maisie, pointing across the street.

"I already called the Browns, they said that Charlie isn't over there." said Amy, closing her eyes and laying her head on her husband's chest. Lyell stroked her head, gazing nervously outside.

"What's going to happen to him?" Lyell asked himself in a low voice.

_**At Bloor's Library…**_

Olivia sneaked in with ease. She search shelves and stopped whenever she saw either the word 'tradition' and 'endowed'. Minutes passed and she found a book that lists the traditions of the Endowed. Excitedly, she sat down with the book, turned on her flashlight, and began to read the table of contents…

_The Endowed Sports Traditions~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~page 1_

_The Endowed Party Traditions~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~page 12_

_The Endowed Dancing Traditions~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~page 23_

_The Endowed Music Traditions~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~page 30_

_The Endowed Drama and Speech Traditions~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~page 46_

_The Endowed Art Traditions~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~page 53_

_The Endowed Field Trips Tradition~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~page 62_

_The Endowed Punishments ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~page 75_

_The Endowed Celebrations ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~page 83_

_The Endowed Tradition History~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~page 95_

_The Endowed Hall of Fame~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~page 100_

Olivia wondered if the answer to her problem would be in _The Endowed Dancing Traditions _or in _The Endowed Punishment Tradition_.

She turned to page 23 and read the first line:

_First of all, the punishment for not dancing first at a Spring Dance on May the first every five hundred years is instant death if he or she does not show up at all, or if he or she does show up but does not dance is food poisoning. _

Olivia gasped. Charlie has to dance or else…bad things will happen. _The Bloors won't let him in, that's for sure! _Olivia thought. She closed the book and carried it up with her to her dorm. She'll return it back later. As she crept up to her room, she found out that Matron was in there, glaring at her.

"What are you doing out there at this time? Surely you didn't use the bathroom in here and you couldn't have read a book in the bathroom, what's going on here?" Matron barked, eyes narrowing.

"The bathroom in here stinks, not like it smells, it doesn't work well for me so I went to the bathroom downstairs and as for the book, I figured that well, I have to be down at the bathroom for a long time because of this stomachache I had so I brought by textbook along so I don't get bored. I have my flashlight so I wouldn't have to read in the dim room. Candles don't work-"

"Enough. Go to sleep now or else it will be a detention for you." Matron snapped.

Olivia nodded. She scurried past Matron and slid her 'textbook' under her bed, her flashlight in her bag, and plopped down on her bed, drawing the covers and laying her head on the pillow.

Matron waited there for a while and left in a bad mood. The girls waited for a moment and then they all sat up, looking at Olivia who was reaching for her book and flashlight. "What are you reading?" asked this one girl with red curls.

"Let me guess, a book about the Endowed Traditions?" asked another girl with straight black hair. "I didn't know you liked to do your homework in the middle of the night."

"I'm reading a book Susan," Olivia said, smiling at the girl with red curls. "and Chloe, please! You know I never do that! Why would I do homework now?" Olivia smiled at the girl with black hair. "But yes, I am reading about the Endowed Traditions."

Olivia shifted a little until she was comfortable and flipped the flashlight's switch and began to read once more.

_**At Ingledew's Bookstore…**_

Charlie tossed and turned in his sleep, sweating nervously as he drifted into his dreams. Julia Ingledew checked on him every now and then to make sure he was okay. She sighed when she saw Charlie turning this way and that on the couch, struggling to wake up from a nightmare. "Charlie, what will I do with you?" Julia said softly as she stroked Charlie head, looking down sadly at the poor child.

_Charlie was walking on air. He looked at his newfound talent and excitedly screamed out, "Look what I can do!!! I can walk on air!"_

_All of his friends looked up with horror as he jumped and twirled and dashed across the sky, whooping with glee. "Charlie, NO!" Charlie heard Olivia cried. _

_Her voice was so alarmed, that Charlie stopped and looked down at her. She was crying, her eyes looking into Charlie's eyes._

_"What?" asked Charlie, looking at everyone else's shocked face._

_Olivia just stood there, heart-stricken. Charlie shrugged. "You guys are no fun anymore."_

_He began to see a flashing light and curiosity got the best of him. "No, Charlie, wait! That's the invisible path to death! DON'T GO!" everyone chorused with terror. _

_Charlie ran to the light with happiness…until Olivia yelled out, "CHARLIE! Don't go into Death's door! You have to attend…" She was cut off by a loud clash. It was too late. Charlie had already gone through the light._

_The light disappeared and a huge grey and wrinkled hand grabbed Charlie's body and squeezed him. Charlie coughed, trying vigorously to get free of Death's clutch._

"_CHARLIE!" Olivia screamed, renewed tears springing out of her eyes. _

"_Olivia!" Charlie choked out. "I'm sorry for not listening…I'm sorry…" Charlie took one last look at Olivia's sad face and then…_He woke up with a start, blinking and rubbing his eyes. He was still alive.

Charlie groaned. "I wish I could have forgotten that…"

Julia, who was reading a thick leather book in her armchair, looked up. "Charlie, dear, did you have a bad nightmare? Would you want a glass of water?"

Charlie nodded, wiping his sweat on his sleeves. Julia set down her book and walked to the kitchen. Charlie could hear the water being poured into a cup and moments later, Julia reappeared.

"Here, maybe this will help." Julia handed over Charlie a glass and he gulped it down, feeling a little worried.

"Miss Ingledew, what do you know about the Endowed Traditions?" Charlie asked wearily. He had heard Lysander-well, the dream figured Lysander- say something about the endowed traditions in the dream.

Julia sat back down in her armchair thoughtfully. "Well, I have a book about something like that. You can look at it in the morning."

Charlie shook his head. "No, no, no! I have to see it now!"

Julia frowned. She stood up and sighed. "Alright, but first I need someone to try my new salad. I made it a few hours ago and I've been wondering if you want to try."

Charlie considered the offer but Miss Ingledew already went back to her small kitchen. "Why doesn't anyone want my opinion?" muttered Charlie, shaking his head.

When Miss Ingledew returned, she had brought a bowl of salad and Charlie had to admit it looked superb. The lettuce and other herbs lay neatly at the side of the bowl. Tomatoes, shredded cheese, cabbage, and to Charlie's delight, cinnamon were all mixed up in the bowl.

Charlie reached out and grabbed the bowl and wolfed it down. Julia watched, amused. (Hey, um, guys? Yeah, sorry for the interruption but the reason why Julia Ingledew smiled like she had won is because…remember for all of you who had read my other COTRK story, Love does damage, a lot of damage? Well, remember the special herb that Paton used to control the girls, Mia, Millie, and Minn? Well, Julia put some of the leaves of that same herb in Charlie's salad.)

Charlie finished a few minutes later feeling extremely content. Julia smiled. "Now would you please sleep so I can try to get some sleep dear? It would help me so much."

Charlie yawned. He looked from Julia to the clock and he let out a little yelp. "Whoa, it's nearly one in the morning!"

"Exactly Charlie,"

Charlie nodded off while Julia turned off the light and crept to her bedroom. When she crawled into bed, she thought of calling Paton to come over to figure this entire situation. "Now, now Julia, your need some bed rest." Julia told herself. She turned over to her side and closed her eyes for a nice long sleep.

_**The Next Day…**_

Maisie, Lyell Bone, and Amy Bone were fast asleep, all huddled on the couch. Grandma Bone stomped her way downstairs and saw the three. She scowled. "Look at them…filthy, horrible, and messy people. How have I managed to live with them?"

Grandma Bone noticed that her brother, twenty years younger than her, wasn't to be found. "Where did he go?" She saw the fridge and thought that she wouldn't need to worry. After all, she IS meeting a little friend I would like to call…Mr. "Low-fat Cherry Pie" and his friends, Miss "Low-fat Apple Pie", Mrs. "Low-fat Boston Cream Pie", and Mr. "Low-fat Chocolate Cream Pie", including whipped cream!

As she huddled around the fridge, Paton sneaked his way downstairs as quietly as possible. He reached the main hall and he grabbed his coat when Maisie stirred.

Paton froze and took a quick glance at Maisie, who raised her head and looked sleepily at Paton. "Where are you going?"

"I am going to go to Ingledew's Bookstore." Paton answered calmly.

Maisie nodded. "Maybe Charlie would be there…" At the mention of his name, Maisie's face went pale and she glanced at the clock. "Oh my, I better make breakfast. Charlie's been missing for quite a while…" Maisie looked at Paton. "Be you lucky and safe."

Paton nodded solemnly and opened the door and slipped out into the quiet streets.

Maisie sighed sadly and slowly walked to the kitchen. There, she gasped, "Grizelda! What on earth are you doing?"

Grandma Bone looked up. She was sitting at the kitchen table with dozens of pies around her. She was digging into a Chocolate pie and there were whipped cream around the edges of her mouth. Maisie stared. Grandma Bone quickly grabbed her handkerchief and wiped her mouth in an etiquette manner. Grizelda placed her handkerchief down slowly…watching Maisie who was still staring at the mess.

Grandma Bone looked at the pies and then slowly back at Maisie. Maisie raised her eyebrow and then with amazing speed, Grandma Bone grabbed as many pies as she can without messing up her dress and rushed upstairs to her room. There was an audible slam and Maisie smiled. "She may have an evil heart but she has a great taste in pies!"

She chuckled at that. "Maybe that should be my new motto for this week! Oh, Charlie would love that little saying…" She stared into space... She snapped out of her trance and wiped away tears that had broken out of her eyes and quickly cleaned up the remaining pies.

Minutes later, Lyell and Amy walked in with a heavy heart. When the saw the mess, they looked at Maisie and then they looked at each other. "What's going on? Is this a celebration? Is Charlie found?" asked Amy, hoping for everything.

Maisie shook her head in sorrow. "No, I'm afraid not my dears. Grizelda just had a huge morning breakfast and she won't be coming back down from her room until she ran out of pies and comes back down for more."

"Oh…" Lyell and Amy looked at each other and Amy burst into tears. "There, there…" Maisie and Lyell pulled out a seat for her and she sat down, crying into her hands.

Lyell tried to blink back the tears. He knew that he had been lost for years and Charlie never gave up looking for him. Now Lyell will have to be strong too. "I'm going to go look for him." He announced.

"Paton is already looking but it wouldn't hurt if you join in. Charlie saved you and it's about time you do the same, right?" Maisie looked up at him.

Amy looked up with tears steaming down her face. She looked breathless. "Oh, Lyell…good luck…" Lyell looked into his wife's red face.

"I will always be lucky. I'm lucky to be found and back with my family, aren't I? I will reunite it." He whispered.

_**At Bloors…**_

Emma and Tancred were walking down a corridor by themselves. They had decided to take a walk around the school before class begins. Tancred had asked Emma to take a walk with him. She agreed so here they are now. Tancred kept on looking at Emma, looking red in the face and looking away nervously when Emma looked at him.

Emma stopped after a while and looked at Tancred in the eye. "What's going on?"

Tancred ran his hand through his blonde hair, looking down at the ground. "I've been itching to ask you something…but I just can't…like…yeah…"

Emma had a hunch that he was going to ask her to the dance. She waited, holding her breath.

Tancred kept on stammering. "It's just that…um, well…it's er…"

Emma giggled. Tancred went even redder. "Emma…I…" Then the horn sounded. Both endowed seemed disappointed.

"Well, maybe you can tell me later Tancred." Emma said, turning around to go to her Art class.

Tancred sadly watched her go around the corner. He then banged his head on the wall, saying, "Why. Did. I. Let. Her. Go?" Everytime his head hits the wall, he said the word and then the next. Like this:

"Why." Bangs head.

"Did." Bangs Head

"I." Bangs head.

"Let." Bangs head.

"Her." Bangs head.

"Go?" Bangs head.

Although his head bangs and words of stupidity were going on at the same time.

"Did you do something wrong Tanc?" asked Lysander, popping up right behind Tancred.

Tancred turned around, rubbing his forehead. "Yeah, I let my love go…"

"Who, Emma? Wow…I think I'll tell her that you called her your love! She would love to hear that I reckon." Lysander said, walking fast around the same corner that Emma past.

Tancred looked up in alarm. "What? Sander, wait, no!" Tancred was glad he wasn't in the halls but in the gardens but that still didn't stop Lysander. Lysander was now running.

"I'm telling her!" Lysander's cheery voice called.

Tancred was beginning to worry. "Hey, SANDER! Wait up!"

Tancred then began to run and looked around the crowd of people for Lysander. "What have I done?" Tancred muttered to himself. "My best friend is about to tell and Emma is going to freak out a bit. She wouldn't face me for months! Maybe years! No, I'm panicking and she would be happy, right? I mean, it's not that she would appear behind me when I say that I love…"

Tancred turned around as he said the word, 'love' and gave out a sudden yelp.

Lysander was there, grinning with the others, holding a tape recorder to his mouth. "Don't you have any words to say?" asked Billy, pushing his recorder to Tancred.

"Don't you have classes to go to?" Tancred asked angrily.

Everyone blinked once. Twice. "Touché." Gabriel murmured, turning around back to his piano lessons.

Everyone went, "Awwww…But he was about to say it!"

"Oh well, maybe next time." said Joshua Tilpin, who had been on the GOOD SIDE for a few months now.

Tancred sighed in relief. "There are two good things…one, I didn't finish my sentence, and two, I have an extra period!" He said 'period' when the horn sounded once more. Tancred smiled and began to head to his dorm, brainstorming an idea to get Emma's attention. Get it? Brain-"storming"?


	6. Concerned

When Tancred plopped down on his bed, he sighed into his hands. "What am I going to do?" He looked up and gazed blankly out the window, searching the skies for an answer. "Well, I know one thing, the clouds aren't going to talk." He muttered grimly.

He heard a knock at the door and Fidelio came in, looking quite pale and nervous. "Tancred, everyone knows but you, I came to tell you…I just – it's so…- Charlie, he's... never found him…some sort of danger…Tancred…" Fidelio stammered, looking quite stunned.

"Wait…Charlie's missing? How?" asked Tancred, looking at Fidelio's alarmed face.

"I don't know, he just ran off! Mrs. Bone mentioned something about everyone blaming him!"

"His parents are here?"

"Yes, they hope to find him here, they hope to see if he's back at school. They…they were so upset…to find out he wasn't…here!"

Tancred stood up and walked past Fidelio, who followed Tancred down the stairs and out to the gardens. "Now where are you going?" asked Fidelio.

"I have to talk to them myself. Maybe there's a hint…"

Tancred spotted a huge crowd and wondered if Charlie's parents were in the middle of it. "Excuse me, pardon…hey, that was my foot!" Tancred yelled at a music student who seemed to step on Tancred's foot.

"Sorry…" came the student's sour reply.

Tancred inched further along the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of the scene. "Tancred, what are you doing here?"

Tancred spun around and to his pleasure, Emma stood there, apparently let out of art class due to the unexpected commotion.

"Emma! I didn't know you were here." Tancred said.

"Well, there's no point in teaching when there's something big going on. So we were dismissed early." Emma replied, smiling.

"Come on, I have to go talk to Mr. and Mrs. Bone. Maybe they can tell us the story. Hey, where's Fidelio?" The two looked around; scanning the excitement faces for Fidelio's worried one. "He was just right behind me!" Tancred exclaimed.

"Maybe he got lost in the crowd. OW!" Emma's head disappeared in the pushing students who were straining to listen to the whole story…or at least, Charlie's parents' side.

"Emma, where are you? EMMA!" Tancred yelled, frantically searching. Then he saw Emma, crouching down, examining her fingers. Tancred also ducked down and began to crawl towards her. "Emma, what happened? Are you hurt? I heard you yell 'Ow.'"

Emma looked up at Tancred and blushed. "Oh, it's nothing. I just got a few scratches on my fingers. It's no big deal." Tancred looked at her fingers and stared in awe.

"Emma! That is a big deal! Your fingers are dripping with blood! Here, when I say go stand up and follow me out of here. Maybe we can wrap that up in some bandages."

Emma looked down at her fingers again and nodded, biting her bottom lip. Tancred nodded back and said, "Go," The two rose up quickly and Tancred, without meaning to, grabbed Emma's hand and tried to guide her out of the crowd.

Emma, bewildered, followed without any choice. "What do you think happened to Charlie? He wouldn't run away, would he?"

"I don't know Emma, maybe he was accused of something he knew he didn't do…first off, and we have to find out who put those ridiculous clothes on Manfred so we can tell the Bloors to 'un-expel' Charlie so the can expel the real person who did it." Tancred answered, dragging Emma out of the students.

"How do we do that?" asked Emma, pinching some of her skin so that the bleeding would stop. Tancred's gaze nervously went to her hands.

"I'll figure it out. First we have to get your hands wrapped up or something. Emma?" Tancred looked at Emma's eyes.

Emma looked into Tancred's eyes. "Yes?"

Tancred took a deep breath. "I wanted to tell you…Will you-"

"EMMA! TANCRED! Oh thank goodness you're here! We need some help!" Mrs. Bone called out, half walking, half running towards them. "Oh…" She noticed the annoyed look on Tancred's face. Emma had her back turned on him and looked into Mrs. Bone's face. "Was I interrupting something?"

Tancred opened his mouth to say something but then thought better of it and shook his head. "No, Mrs. Bone."

Mr. Bone caught up with them and he said, "Do you two know if Charlie is here? He has been missing for a while. We thought he would come here."

"No Mr. Bone, I'm sorry Mr. Bone. Maybe you can start telling us everything that happened." said Emma.

_ARRRGGHH! I let her slip again! Why does this keep happening to me??? _Tancred thought hopelessly. He stood there while Mr. and Mrs. Bone told Emma their point of view.

(Poor Tancred…but don't worry guys, he will get a chance to ask Emma out to the dance…hopefully…Keep reading!)

"Well, he came here all sad and all and he went upstairs and Lyell, erm, I mean, _Mr. Bone_, went to talk to him and Charlie thought that Mr. Bone was accusing him of doing this one thing…" Amy said in a shivering voice,

"The last we saw him was when he went outside. Maisie saw him of course and she thought he wanted to escape Grandma Bone but then he didn't show up later and then…and then…" Mr. Bone swallowed his words and shook his head, crying softly.

"Oh…" Emma looked at her feet and Tancred gazed sadly to the sky.

"Charlie Bone…where are you?" asked Tancred to himself, hoping to find an answer.

_**At Ingledew's Bookstore…**_

Charlie was in the backroom, reading a large book with interest, when Miss Ingledew rushed in with Paton. "Charlie, what in the world are you thinking, dear boy?!" Paton exclaimed anxiously.

Charlie looked up, frozen with anxiety. Was Uncle Paton going to tell?" "Uncle Paton…you won't tell would you? Everyone is blaming me and…well…I'm tired of it!" Charlie said, closing the book.

Paton looked at Charlie wearily. "Charlie, what am I going to do with you?" Paton sat down, next to Charlie while Julia smiled. "I'm going back to help my customers. Good luck."

She went back to her store while Paton and Charlie sat there in silence.

There were two cups of water on the table in front of them. Charlie picked up the first cup and Paton picked up the next.

Charlie was staring at his uncle and took a sip.

Paton did the same. His eyes didn't leave Charlie.

Charlie narrowed his eyes. He took another sip. "Uncle,"

Paton took a sip also. "Charlie,"

Charlie sipped again. "Uncle,"

Paton took another drink. "Charlie…"

The two of them stared at each other and proceeded with the routine until their water supply ran out.

Then Charlie glared at Paton. "What did you want to talk to me about? If you're here to convince me to go home, I'm not going home!"

"Charlie, listen to me. You have to go home. You're scaring your mother and father! Do you really want to worry them more?" Paton asked gently but firm.

Charlie frowned. "If they blame me, then yes, I do."

Paton frowned back. "Charlie, did you just say yes? How could you say such a thing? I for one am truly shocked!"

Charlie looked away, angry tears rolling down his cheek. "Well, this is who I am now." He muttered.

Paton stood up angrily. "Charlie, you will come home this instant!" he barked.

Charlie stood up also. "What if I don't want to?"

"Too bad, you are coming home right now." Paton made a grab for Charlie's wrist but Charlie pulled back.

"You can't tell me how to live my life!"

"I can guide you though, can't I?!"

Julia rushed in. "What's gong on here?" She looked sternly at the both of them.

"He wouldn't go home!" Paton said curtly.

"He's…threatening me!" Charlie blurted out with surprise.

Julia gasped and looked at a bewildered Paton. "Paton, how could you threaten him?"

"I didn't! He's lying!" Paton protested.

Charlie turned his burning gaze at Paton.

"Oh, now you're blaming me, just like everyone else!" Charlie hissed.

Paton looked baffled. "Now look here young mister!"

Charlie had enough with this. He walked angrily out the store, ignoring Paton's angry, but desperate, yells.

"COME BACK HERE, CHARLIE, I DIDN'T MEAN IT!" Charlie heard Paton yell frantically.

Charlie kept on walking and decided to stay with Miguel, the ice cream server guy. He arrived at Tony's Ice Cream Parlor and asked for Miguel.

Maria looked at him with a weird look. "Ok, but he doesn't speak English so it's a little hopeless."

Maria turned and called out Miguel's name. Miguel looked up from his station and walked calmly to the counter, smiling at Charlie.

"I would like to talk with him privately." Charlie said to Maria, who translated it to Miguel.

"Si," he murmured, motioning Charlie to follow him behind the counter.

Charlie walked around the counter and followed Miguel to a room at the very back. It was unoccupied.

"So, Kenny, what brings you here?" asked Miguel.

Charlie looked at him sideways. "What?"

"I said, what brings you here?"

Charlie then remembered he went under a different name. "Um…well, at home, people are blaming me so I ran away. I couldn't take it anymore so…can I stay with you and Maria?"

Miguel's face darkened. "You ran away? Ai!" Miguel groaned, throwing his hands up in the air. "You know that's a very bad thing, amigo. I suggest to…"

"Don't tell me, go back home." Charlie groaned.

"Yes, exactly." Miguel shook his head. "Kenny, this is a very bad thing, mucho desobediente!"

"What?" Charlie never did learn any Spanish. The only closest thing he could say was, 'hola' and 'que'."

"Very bad. You need to go home. You can't stay with me. Then if you are ever caught, they will blame me for kidnapping, even though I never stole you, you understand now?" Miguel stood up and opened the door, waiting for Charlie to get out.

Charlie sadly exited the parlor, wondering where to go.

COTRK-COTRK-COTRK-COTRK-COTRK-COTRK-COTRK-COTRK-COTRK-COTRK-

Emma: Hi! Emma here, you know about the Spring Dance, right? Well, the author is so generous that if you want to be an Endowed, pm her and give out your username (the author's user is Jenni N.), your "character's" details (hair, outfit, eye color, height, features, and 'race', like white, or African-American, Asian, etc.), your "character's" story name, and his/her endowment.

Olivia: Yeah, she will put you in the story and will have a special chapter for your character! Imagine, you with you own chapter!

Billy: Yeah, but guys, don't expect long chapters about you, it's only you taking in some action with us, the good endowed!

Tancred: If you don't like it, well too bad!

Emma: Tancred, don't be rude! Sorry guys, he's in a bad mood because in this chapter, he didn't get a chance to tell me something

Everyone: Quick, get your tape recorders! Where's my video camera? Hey, that's my recorder!

Emma: What is it that you want to tell me?

Tancred: Emma, will you-

END OF CHAPTER


	7. Discussing Charlie's Worthiness

Tancred: HEY, YOU CUT ME OFF!

Jenni: Yeah, so? I'm adding humor and…this other feeling, what is it?

Emma: Tension?

Jenni: Yeah, let's go with that.

Tancred: Em, will you-

Jenni: On with the chapter! Hint that this took place after Charlie Bone and the Hidden King and before Charlie Bone and the Shadow of Badlock! (I didn't get to read that book)

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Maisie was sitting alone in the kitchen. She was staring blankly into space…Until Grandma Bone appeared.

"It's so nice without that insolent boy roaming about." Grizelda sighed happily, walking into the kitchen.

Maisie looked coldly at Grandma Bone. "How dare you! Charlie is the sweetest gift The Lord had ever given us!"

"As if he was worth something valuable!" Grandma Bone scoffed.

"He is." Maisie said angrily.

"Oh really? Name five things that he's worth something."

"He saved Emma Tolly from Manfred Bloor's trance, he saved Uncle Henry and is now living happily with your father, he helped little Ollie become visible, he helped Olivia Vertigo find out who she is deep inside, he saved YOUR son, he helped out a confused and hopeless beast! That's six because he's too special for a simple five." Maisie snorted.

Grandma Bone sneered. "But are they useful? The Tolly girl was better off with just being plain and simple Emilia Moon, Uncle Henry went missing for nearly 100 years! No one missed him! The invisible boy didn't deserve to become visible again, snooping around like that! My son, for that matter, turns out to be useless like Charlie, and for the beast, people wouldn't like it if they figured out that a were-beast is out and about!"

Maisie gasped deeply. "Grizelda" Grandma Bone flinched. "how could you?"

"What? It was better if the stupid boy wasn't born!"

Maisie put her hands over her heart and stood up. "This discussion is now, officially, over!"

"Who told you, hmm? Who's in charge of this house?"

"You and your horrible sisters," Maisie uttered.

"What did you say?" Grandma Bone asked icily.

"I _said_ you and your honorable sisters." Maisie said louder.

Grandma Bone eyes Maisie and then 'hmph!' her and went to the living room to watch t.v.


	8. Charlie's Job and Olivia's Worries

Charlie wandered through the streets thoughtfully until he reached the street where Bloor's Academy is. He looked quickly away, not wanting to go into a sobbing scene again. He will be humiliated in front of some random people.

Charlie expected someone from the school looking through the gates, yelling and pointing, "Hey look, it's Charlie, he came back!" but no one ever did. Charlie took one last look at Bloors and walked silently away. "What am I going to do?" Charlie asked himself.

He heard a little chirp from a bird to his right and looked at the bird, startled. The bird turned out to be an injured robin, a baby to be exact. "Oh, you poor little bird, are you okay?" Charlie rushed to the bird and kneeled over.

The bird seemed nervous and gave out a chirp of anxiety every time Charlie touched it. Charlie carefully lifted the bird. He knew exactly what to do. Run around in circles. No, not really, go to the Pet's Café and hope that Mr. Onimous and Mrs. Onimous right away.

Charlie fast-walked down the street and around a few corners for a few blocks until he heard many barks and meows, and chirps, and hisses, and hopping, and crashes, and many more peculiar sounds. "Just a few more blocks little guy." Charlie whispered to the bird.

Norman, the bouncer, opened the door for Charlie and looked flabbergasted at the injured bird. "Oh my, whatever happened to the little guy?"

"I don't know, I think the Bloor's shot it down with rocks." said Charlie, examining the robin's wings. "I think he broke his wings. May I go see Mr. and Mrs. Onimous?"

Norman nodded. "You know where to go, just behind the counter and through the back door, well, curtain really."

Charlie smiled his thanks and stepped over a few dog bowls and rabbit cages before he reached the counter. When he got there, Mr. Onimous was baking some worm cookies for pets that love live worms in freshly baked cookies. Even better, the cookie mix was _meat flavored_!

Mr. Onimous smiled at Charlie. "Charlie, pleasant surprise, why aren't you in school and egad! Is that a robin, injured? My, this will NOT do!" He took the cookies and put them on the platter and laid the platter on the table to cool off before serving them to the pets.

"Whatever is the trouble Orvil? Oh, my! Oh…" Onoria gasped when she saw the robin. She took the robin out of Charlie's hand and whispered something to the robin. The robin suddenly calmed and chirped back.

"Dear, dear, Blossom will not be able to fly until her wings are carefully handled." Onoria said to Charlie when the whispering and chirping died down.

"Blossom?" Charlie said in amazement. "It's a girl?"

"You mean, _she's _a girl, she is not an '_it'_." Mrs. Onimous said sounding a tad offended.

"Sorry, sorry." Charlie muttered. "Uh, your café seems to be very busy, do you mind if I help in the kitchens? I'll be very good."

"Don't you have school?" asked Orvil curiously.

"Oh, they let me have a few days off." Charlie murmured out his lie.

The Onimouses looked unconvinced but they agreed to let him work here, if he works for free. Charlie smiled and laughed at their little joke, even though it isn't a joke. "Sure, I don't really need money." Charlie had said.

"Good, now wash your hands and put on a hairnet; serve those cookies to table number three, those fruit shakes to table number five, and those doggy biscuits to table number seven." Mr. Onimous commanded.

Charlie nodded and he awkwardly grabbed the hairnet the Mr. Onimous handed him. He put it on and washed his hands in the kitchen sink. He then picked up the trays and placed them on the rolling cart and pushed it out into the café.

"Cookies to 7," Charlie gave the girl and her parent's cats the cookie tray. "Fruit shakes to five," Charlie gave the elderly couple and their hamsters the shakes. "And biscuits to six? No wait, seven." Charlie gave the biscuits to the boy there, who grabbed them eagerly and gave one to his pet dog, a Yorkshire terrier.

"Thanks, Joe really likes these biscuits! Do you think I can have this to go?" asked the boy.

Charlie nodded. "I'll be right back." Charlie grabbed the tray back and went back to the kitchen. "These biscuits are to go." said Charlie, grabbing a bag that says "Thank you for coming to the Pet's Café, come again later!" on the front and poured the cookies into it and folded it closed. Mrs. Onimous smiled and waved him on while she fed the blue boa.

He went back to table number seven and gave that bag to the boy, who gave him a little tip, five silver pennies.

Charlie smiled at the little money he made and he whistled a merry tune as he jumped over a bird cage and back into the kitchen.

_**Olivia's Dorm…**_

__Olivia stood, gazing at the garden below, feeling miserable. Olivia knew that endowed children like her are coming in from all over the world to the Spring Dance for a tradition…if they don't, they die.

Olivia felt ashamed as well. She was the one who glued all of that stuff onto Manfred. It was a miracle (not exactly) that it all got away, although bits of make-up still remained.

Olivia jerked her head up when she heard footsteps coming to her door. There were a few light knocks and then a few hard knocks that made Olivia jump.

"Come in!" Olivia called, not taking her eyes off of the gardens.

"Olivia, are you alright?" It was Allie Porter.

"You know Olivia; you don't have to face this by yourself." It was Emma too.

Olivia shook her head. "You don't get it." Olivia said in a wobbly voice.

"What do you mean we don't get it?" asked Allie and Emma simultaneously.

"I was the one who glued on the dress on Manfred. I was the one who put on the un-washable make-up on his face. I SHOULD BE THE ONE EXPELLED!" Olivia yelled with anger.

Emma and Allie exchanged worried looks. "Olivia…" Emma said sadly.

"I'm so…angry!" Olivia continued on, throwing her hands up in the air with great fury.

"Well…" Allie said slowly, thinking at what words she would pick. "Who…are you angry at?"

"I…I don't know!" Olivia said, lowering her voice. Olivia began to pace while Emma and Allie sat on Olivia's bed, watching.

"Are you angry at Manfred?" asked Emma.

"No…surprisingly no…" Olivia paced faster and faster.

"Are you angry at…The Red King?" asked Allie uncertainly.

"No, no…"

"Are you angry with the Traditions?" Emma suggested.

"No, no, no!" Olivia was getting angrier and frantic than ever.

"Dr. Bloor?" Allie asked.

"Ezekiel?" Emma said.

"Who are you angry at?" asked Allie, standing up.

"It's just one little question Liv, who are you angry at?" Emma said softly.

Olivia stopped suddenly and turned to her friends and shouted with all her might, "_**I'M ANGRY WITH MYSELF!!!!"**_

It was so loud, that everyone in the gardens looked up at the frightening noise.

Olivia panted slowly and then fell to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

"I-I know t-that I-I shouldn't b-be c-crying over t-this…b-but…" Olivia gave out a long wail, and hugged the table lag of a desk.

Allie and Emma rushed over to her and patted her, telling her soothing words, singing…nothing worked.

All they could do was look sadly at the poor girl, sobbing and crying, shaking, red face; there might as well be a flood on the girl's floor.

"Olivia, take control over your self. So, Charlie's expelled. What are you going to do about it?" asked Emma firmly.

Olivia shook her head, crying her aching heart out onto the shoulders of Allie, who gave Olivia pats and looked at Emma helplessly.

"What I would do is to go tell Manfred the truth." Emma said, surprised at her own words.

"Or you could find a disguise for Charlie so he can sneak in. There will be millions of other people so Manfred wouldn't know." Emma added weakly.

Olivia looked up and sniffed twice. "Y-you really t-t-t-t-think so?"

"I know so." Emma said, smiling. Allie smiled also.

"See Olivia, what would Charlie think of you if he found you lying here, crying all day?" asked Allie, poking Olivia's arm playfully.

Emma laughed and Olivia gave out a wide smile, tears clearing a bit. "He would t-think that I'm j-just being silly a-and stupid." Olivia looked at Emma and Allie, giving them a solemn look. "You won't tell him, would you?"

"My lips are sealed." Allie replied, pulling an imaginary zipper across her mouth.'

"Cross my heart, hope to die…" Emma started out with a huge grin.

"Poke a needle in my eye!" The three finished off, laughing.

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Charlie: Hey, everybody here? I sneaked in from the backdoor of Jenni's fanfiction Control Room.

Olivia: CHARLIE! YOU'RE BACK!!!!!!

Charlie: Olivia! Hi everyone, uh oh…I think that was Uncle Paton, I have to go. Bye!

Olivia: Wait, I-

Paton: Have you guys seen Charlie?

Emma: Nope.

Olivia: Why would he be here?

Fidelio: I haven't seen him in days. Tomorrow we're coming back home.

Tancred: Maybe he's at the park?

Paton: No, I already checked there.

Lysander: Have you tried Ingledew's Bookshop?

Paton: Tried, he was there but he ran off again.

Billy: Pet's Café?

Paton: I…In fact I haven't checked there at all! Thanks Billy!

Billy: Don't mention it!

Olivia: Readers, also you have only one week and five days left until the submitting thing is over!

Fidelio: Forgot what it's all about? If you pm the author-

Jenni: That's me!

Fidelio: Yeah…if you pm her and you want to be a foreign endowed coming to the Spring Dance and have your very own chapter with only you and the gang, tell her your height, hair color and type, what country your character is from, what he/she is wearing, and his/her endowment!

Tancred: Yeah! There might be a battle scene but that's a 50/50 chance that's going to happen.

Billy: So don't forget!

Lysander: Do it soon!

Everyone: Or you'll forget!

Manfred: What are you all doing here?

Everyone: AHHHHH!!!!

Tancred: Emma, before he gives us detention, will you go to the-

Manfred: DETENTION TO YOU TORSSON!

Tancred: ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!

*Due to the circumstances of Tancred Torsson's storm power, the author's fanfiction room has been totally destroyed, therefore I am here to tell you that we are sorry for the unexpected visitor (Manfred) and would hope that you will still pm our prodigious writer about the Endowed Submitting Entry and do it right away or it will be too late and you all die* END OF CHAPTER


	9. Breaking Up

Tancred: ARGH!!!!! *sighs* How am I going to tell Emma?

Emma: Tell me what?

Tancred: That I wanted to ask you to the-

Olivia: Emma, I need to talk to you, NOW!

Tancred: OLIVIA! I was going to ask Emma something!

Olivia: Oh, you were? Everyone, get your vide camera!

Tancred: Why me? Why me? In all of the boys in Europe, why me?

Emma: Oh well, maybe next time, the readers are tired of reading our argument. Sorry…

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Tancred and Lysander were sitting on a bench, discussing some important matter…like finding a date. "Tancred, you have GOT to get Emma in a private place, say your dorm." said Lysander firmly.

"It's not that easy Sander, every time I try to ask, someone is ALWAYS there! Is it just me or am I having extremely bad luck?" Tancred said, face in his hands.

Lysander shook his head, smiling. "How about this, you go get Emma and rag her to your dorm; I'll stand guard so no one will barge in. I will only interrupt if there's an emergency, like a fire, or something like that."

Tancred raised his head and looked at Lysander with awe. "How can you think of amazing ideas in a time of pressure?"

Lysander grinned. "I just do, now let's go find her."

The boys stood up and scanned the garden for Emma. She wasn't there. They looked in the art room. She wasn't there. They checked her dorm and they saw her, sketching a dove flying into the air.

Lysander backed up and nodded, closing the door. Tancred looked around first and said, "Emma,"

Emma looked up, startled, regret swelled over her. "Yes Tancred?"

Tancred looked around and smiled. _Finally. _"Emma, will you go to the Spring Dance with me?" Tancred asked, trying his best not to sound too excited. He did it! Victory is his!

Emma's face fell and looked down.

Tancred, utterly confused looked at her. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry Tancred, it took you so long and…well, someone else asked me and I couldn't say no. I'm sorry…I truly am." Emma said with sorrow. She looked away as angry winds blew around the room.

"Emma, I thought we were…how could you?" Tancred asked angrily.

Emma's eyes shone with tears as she looked him in the eye. Then something hit her. No, not something physically, something mentally. She stood up and walked over to Tancred with a stern look in her eye. "Are you going to act like this all day?" she whispered.

"Yes!" Tancred yelled.

Emma narrowed her eyes. "The we're through Tancred Torrson."


	10. Irony

Tancred stood there, mouth opened, eyes wide, and a look of shock, disbelief, and pain spread around his face. Emma blinked several times, looking quite confused.

She looked at Tancred and said, "Why do you look…I don't know…stunned?"

Tancred scoffed. "Because I am! Emma, how could you?"

Emma raised an eyebrow. "What did I do?"

"You mean you don't know what you did?" Tancred closed his mouth and his eyes went back to normal size…nearly.

Emma was about to reply when something mentally hit her again. "Of course I knew what I did!" Emma snapped.

She marched out of the room with her nose in the air while Tancred yelled angrily, "FINE! Leave! I bet…I bet…FINE!"

Tancred marched out of the room and is greeted by Lysander, who looked bemused. "What did you do Tancred Torrson?"

"Nothing! I asked her the question, she says no…"

"She said no?!" Lysander said, eyes widening at the irony. "Why did she say that?"

"She said that someone already asked her to the dance and she just couldn't say no! Then I got angry and there were a lot of wind and she marched up to me and said that we're through…" There was an extremely pained expression on his face as he finished telling Lysander everything. Before Lysander could say anything, Tancred walked off, very brokenhearted.

_**Later That Day…**_

Emma felt very awkward. She now forgot many things and she ends up in places she didn't remember traveling to. For example, she was going to the King's Room to finish her English homework and then the next minute, she found herself near the cafeterias.

"What is wrong with me?" Emma muttered to herself as she finally reached the King's Room after many attempts. Everyone stared at her (except Tancred) as she stumbled in, late. Manfred glared her down to her seat. Emma nervously sat down and opened her book and grabbed a pen and eyed her paper.

It was really challenging, especially when one of Tancred's wind blows your paper off the table or into someone else's area. It was also hard to keep your paper dry from all of the continuous rain. Manfred, on the other hand, enjoyed it. If you're all wondering why, I will tell you, just don't lean forward too far that your head will run into the screen…that would be bad.

Manfred enjoyed this because it always makes him happy to see people struggling. The only part he didn't like was that he wasn't doing it…Tancred was.

"TORRSON!" Manfred bellowed. He had enough; he couldn't stand watching someone else making someone's life miserable…that was HIS job!

"Stop it with your stormy ways! Can't you see that we're all trying to do some work? I have to go over some enrollment papers for three new kids coming here tomorrow! Now you better not get any rain over it or I'll give you seven detentions! That's right, seven!" Manfred smirked, watching the worried expression on Tancred's face as he scribbled down some notes on the History of the French Revolution.

Joshua looked up and glared at Manfred (note that Joshua went to the good side with the help of the flames…his mother on the other hand is still ev-I mean EBIL) and said in Tancred's defense, "So why are you here? Shouldn't you be in your office? Why are you here anyway?"

Manfred looked at Joshua and then away, not wanting to smile. He may use his magnetism. "Because if I do work somewhere else, there's no one to look after you hooligans! You wouldn't do your homework, you could hold a secret meeting about something, and you could also hold a party in here!"

"Hey, good idea!" Olivia laughed. She stopped immediately when Manfred turned his burning gaze at her.

"We know you are endowed and you're here to work, not party." Manfred grumbled.

"Come on Manfred, just this once?" asked Lysander.

"NO! NOW GET BACK TO WORK!!!!!" Manfred roared.

Everyone looked down at their papers and didn't speak for the rest of the hour…

_**Midnight…**_

Olivia sat up when she heard a _clink_ outside her window. It was hard to see anything in the night. Olivia looked around as she heard the _clink_. It came from the window. Olivia tried to make out the shapes of the other girls to see if they were awake or not. Something told her they weren't so she snuck up to the window and forced it open.

"Olivia, is that you?" came a voice.

Olivia blinked, waiting for her eyes to adjust. When they did, she looked down and to her excitement, she saw Charlie Bone! THE Charlie Bone, standing under her window! (Isn't that romantic???)

"Charlie, what are you doing here?" Olivia whispered loudly.

"I came to see you." Charlie whispered back, grateful for the dark. He was blushing fiercely and he didn't want Olivia to see. Charlie was still wearing his school uniform…they were covered with stains and dirt. His hair was rougher than ever, his face was clean though.

Olivia blush a blood red and she did a little jig in delight. Then something hit her. "Charlie, you have to go to the Spring Dance! If you don't, you'll better get ready for a funeral! It's a tradition!"

Charlie, to Olivia's surprise, didn't react the way Olivia had thought. Instead of a panicking Charlie, he was calm. "I know Olivia, I already know all about it. Uncle Paron told me!"

"Uncle Paron?" Olivia said under her breath to herself. "I thought it was 'Paton'."

"I better go, see ya!" Charlie called.

Olivia just waved, looking suspicious. Then Allie Porter woke up, yawning. "Olivia, who are you whispering to?"

"No one…I was just getting some fresh air. I can't go outside at this time so I opened the window." Olivia lied, slamming it closed. She climbed into bed and pulled the covers over and turned to her side, pondering at Charlie's mistake.

_**Earlier that very same day…**_

Before all of that happened, the King's Room and the midnight meeting, Charlie had delivered three trays to two tables. He thought he went to three. He was quite wrong…

Charlie came back into the kitchen. "I have delivered the biscuits to seven, fruit shakes to five, and cookies to…" Charlie paused. "Seven…" he said slowly…thinking how this could be possible.

Mr. Onimous shook his head. "No, cookies are to three! Don't worry, everyone get's it wrong on their first day. I'll go give three their cookies. Go make some fruit kabobs.

Charlie watched Mr. Onimous go trough the curtains and asked weakly, "How do I do that?"

Mrs. Onimous came up to him. "Did you finish those orders?"

"I gave seven some cookies, even though I already went there…um…" Charlie explained everything. How there were different people at the table seven every time he went to them.

First trip, a girl and her parents, second trip, a boy and his dog. How is all of that possible?

Mrs. Onimous gasped. "I don't think…Charlie, I'm scared…will you go check who's sitting at seven now?"

Charlie gaped at her for a second and obeyed. He peeked out the doorway and saw three women. They were all blonde.

Charlie looked back at Mrs. Onimous. "Three women with yellow hair."

Mrs. Onimous gasped and fell to the floor, crying.

Charlie walked up to her, looking anxious. "Mrs. Onimous, are you okay?"

Mrs. Onimous looked up with a huge smile. "Charlie…my sisters…they have returned!"

Charlie looked at her with puzzlement. "My sisters…they always shape shift into three different things. My three sisters!"

"But there were only a boy and a dog at my second trip." said Charlie.

"Didn't you notice the leash?" Onoria asked, wiping her tears on a handkerchief.

Charlie slapped his forehead. "I feel like an idiot…"

Mr. Onimous rushed in with excitement. "Onoria, have you heard?"

"Yes, yes! I have heard my dear!" Mrs. Onimous sprang up from the floor and rushed to hug Orvil.

Then three ladies walked in with huge smiles, similar to Mrs. Onimous's.

"Onoria, long time no see!" the tallest one said, holding out her arms, expecting Onoria to run into them and hug her.

She did just that. "Onnia! You have grown a foot since I last saw you three years ago!"

Mrs. Onimous looked at the other two. "Onnora, Onnastia! My you all have grown!" They shared a long hug and they all talked at once about their life.

"I think you want to go off and do something else. Whenever they come to visit, it gets boring after a while. Trust me. Once they stayed for seven months! Their parents had to pry them apart!" Mr. Onimous whispered to Charlie, winking at him.

Charlie gave a little laugh. He then took off the hairnet and he brushed his filthy clothes. He hadn't notice the stains he got from the fruit shakes. It got splattered all over his clothes.

Orvil noticed this and said, "Let's get you some new clothes, shall we?"

Charlie sat down on the chair and waited for Mr. Onimous's return. Charlie helped himself to a cookie and munched happily. When Mr. Onimous returned, he held a red t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. "Here, try this on for size. You can have it. I bought it for my cousin's nephew but I already gave him so many clothes so I decided to give it to you."

"Thanks!" Charlie said in an excited voice. This turns out to be a good day…so far.


	11. The Voice

Okay, so first of all, when Charlie was in the Pet's Café last chapter that was before the King's Room and the Midnight Meeting scene.

So anyway, the next day on Friday, everyone was all packed and ready to go home…everyone but…Emma.

Olivia peeked into her room and saw Emma just sitting there with a blank expression. She didn't even start packing!

"Emma! You need to pack; the buses will be here in three hours!" Olivia said, rushing to Emma and shaking her shoulders vigorously.

Emma brushed her blonde hair away and looked at Olivia's face, smiling. "No need, I'm staying here for the weekend. My Aunt Julia understands."

"No need?!" Olivia couldn't believe her ears. "No need? You, stay here? Insane! I mean, how could you _survive_ this place? I'll be surprised if you make it out alive!"

"Olivia, you're panicking too much. I'll be fine. I know I will." Emma said happily.

Olivia choked back a few words and shook her head. "I think we better go get the doctor, the sun's gotten to you."

"No, it hasn't. I think something's getting to _your_ head though." Emma said solemnly. "How could you not join their side? They need you!"

"Who's they?"

"You know…_they_!" Emma said, standing up to brush her hair. "I'll give you time to think about it. For now, you better go get some breakfast; you only have two hours and fifty-six minutes and seven seconds and three milliseconds left until the buses arrived.

Olivia sputtered, "What? How could you know? Is there some kind of shadow ambushing your mind, Em?"

Emma turned around with one brush in her hand and strands of hair in the other, raising an eyebrow at Olivia. "What are you talking about Liv?"

"I really don't know." she admitted. "But just hear me out, YOU. NEED. TO. GO. HOME!"

"No thank you, I'm quite pleased here." Emma said in a devious voice.

"Pleased? Pleased? You're pleased here? You _really _need to see a doctor." Olivia muttered, shaking her head. Then her face lit up. "_Ohhhhhh!!!!_ You're acting, aren't you? Well you're very good Em! Maybe you have another talent!"

Emma lay down her brush and said in a cool voice. "No, I'm not acting. I'm an art student Olivia Vertigo…I'm not an actress."

Emma tied her hair in a side ponytail and left the room, feeling a little offended.

Olivia looked up and raised her eyebrow. "_Well!_" She said with mock offense.

Emma walked huffily to the art room to finish her painting of the sun. She stopped dead in her tracks near the library and shook her head, blinking, like if she came out of a trance. "What am I doing?" Emma asked herself.

"_Well done my little dear…well done…_" a voice said.

Emma turned and saw no one. She realized that she was imagining things and started to walk somewhere, it didn't matter where. "_I said well done child…You have done well. I thank you for letting your mind so open and easy to access to…Now it would be much more easier to get access to the Sculpture…_"

Emma turned her head, this way and that, trying to locate the source of the mysterious and haunting voice. "_Alas, you will never get it little girl, no matter how hard you try to close your mind…I know all of your inner secrets, I even know things in your mind that you know not of…How? Well…tell me if you want to know._"

Emma was still turning, frantically searching. "I want to know, I want to know where you are…" Emma said in a small voice.

"_What? What was that? I can't hear you my sweet._"

"I said I want to know where you are, who you are, what you're doing to me!" Emma yelled in a panicked voice.

A shadow dawned over her and she stopped moving for two reasons, one, she was dizzy, and two, she was frightened.

"You want to know, now, you may know." said a woman's voice. It sounded sharp and prissy. It also sounded like the voice belonged to a spoiled person. There was another thing that was odd. It sounded so familiar. But it sounded ghostly.

"My dear child…turn around. You may recognize me." The woman said with great patience.

_What do I do?_ Emma thought with fear.

"For starters you can turn around" The woman growled to Emma's thought.

"It's like she can enter my mind…" Emma muttered to herself.

"Oh I can; wonderful endowment it is."

Emma's eyes shot open and she slowly turned.

She screamed…wishing she hadn't turned.


	12. Answers and Hints

"Hello Emma Tolly." said a woman who looked deeply like Miss Gosten (a character from Love Does Damage, a Lot of Damage; my other story).

"Who…who are you?" Emma whimpered, taking a step back.

"I'm the twin sister of Miss Lisa Gosten…"

"Lisa?" Emma looked quizzically at the twin. "I thought it was…"

"Who cares what you thought?" the twin sniffed. "My sister never married. Pity she died, isn't it? At least I'm married…at least I'm alive…at least I have a more powerful endowment!"

"So what _is_ your name?" Emma asked, trying not to displease the woman.

"Mrs. Leah Johnson." Mrs. Johnson replied curtly. "I see you haven't got a clue what I'm doing. You shan't tarry. Or you will have to reimburse."

Before Emma could ask what reimburse meant, Mrs. Johnson shrank back into the shadows and became a shadow herself. Emma could hear her shrill high laugh carrying on in the corridor.

Emma ran for it. She ran around the corner and then looked back, hoping that Mrs. Johnson hadn't followed her. Unaware what was in front of her, she ran into it…or him/her.

It turned out to be a person and the two of them were sprawled on the floor, holding their heads. Emma groaned a little and looked up, blushing fiercely.

Of course, you guessed, it was Tancred, who stared at Emma's worried look. "Em, what's wrong?"

"Tancred, I'm so glad you're here! There's this shadow, no, not him." Emma added quickly when she saw the expression on Tancred's face. "No, he's long gone…hopefully, anyway, remember Miss Gosten? Well she has a twin and she can control people with her endowment! I've been a victim Tancred! Oh, what should I do?"

Emma sat up and sobbed into her hand. Tancred scooted up to her and patted her shoulder, looking around for anything suspicious.

"Oh…Oh!" Emma gasped for breath as she tried over and over to calm herself. "What should I do? She after something…she's using me to get it! It'll be all my fault!"

Tancred put his arm around Emma's shoulders and gave her an encouraging hug, thinking fast. "We'll make sure she won't get you." Tancred promised. "Now have you packed yet?"

Emma didn't answer that question, she answered the first. "She'll get me…if I have an open mind she'll get me…how do I close it? How?"

"Maybe…well…when she has you under her control, we'll keep you from doing her orders. Now you better go pack, we only have like two hours left or something. I don't have my watch with me."

Emma bowed her head. "Alright…I will pack." Emma said, shaking horribly.

Tancred nodded and patted her shoulder and helped her up. Emma wiped her eyes and smiled at Tancred. "Thanks Tancred."

"You're welcome. Here, I'll escort you to your room, I don't want any shadow hag to take over you… you're too pretty for that." Tancred joked.

Emma gave a halfhearted laugh. The two set off to Emma's dorm, oblivious that a girl was watching them with a cheerful smile but her eyes were alert. She feared for Emma's safety… The girl's red short red hair tickled her ears and so she brushed them out from behind her ear. "Emma…be careful." The girl whispered.

The girl's head shot up with alarm and she took a couple of steps back and waited for a figure to appear. Mrs. Johnson appeared, smiling. "My dear girl, have you finished your spying?"

The girl nodded. "Yes mother, I have."

"Good, I will think about giving you dinner tonight. You do look pale, jumpy, and quite thin, don't you think? See, if you do what you're told you will get to eat like a normal teenager does, every night in fact. If you do more I might think about giving you breakfast."

The girls looked up with an excited face. "Thank you mother, I haven't eaten since three days ago."

Mrs. Johnson looked up. _What was that? _She asked herself. _Was that a boy? Was that someone who had seen and heard everything? I wonder…_

The girl looked up thoughtfully. "Mother, may I stay here tonight to make sure the Tolly girl doesn't run off in case she has broken out of her trance?"

Mrs. Johnson looked down at her skinny daughter. The girl feared that she had said the wrong thing. If she suggested that if someone has broken out of her mother's trance, it usually meant that her mother is weak. Something a mother does NOT want to hear.

To her surprise, the woman smiled pleasantly. "You can never be too careful. The fools who think they don't need backup and they think that they are powerful enough are nincompoops. Yes, I shall grant you dinner. Let's see if you can get dessert tonight. The last time you had that was…why…you NEVER had dessert. This might be the day… curious…

"Your endowment will come in handy, I'm glad yours is Presence Detecting. I have to go talk to your father. Stay here, don't move, don't disobey the Bloor's either. Just…stay, alright Jessie?"

Jessie (the girl) nodded. "Yes mother, I understand."

"Good," Mrs. Johnson sniffed.

"Leah, what are you doing here?" asked Dr. Bloor as he came around the corner.

"Harold, good morning, Jessie, introduce yourself."

Jessie turned to look at Dr. Bloor. She forced a smile and curtsied. "Good morning Dr. Bloor. How are you on this fine, fine day?"

Dr. Bloor bowed, replying, "I am doing quite well thank you very much. Leah, Kyle wanted to talk to you…" Dr. Bloor added in a low voice.

Mrs. Johnson looked alarmed. Was her husband alright? "What's wrong, is Kyle hurt? Tell me he isn't!"

"No, no, he's doing fine; it's just that…well…there's a slight problem with his left arm…"

"Oh…dear, stay here, don't wander off. I'll be back." Mrs. Johnson said, stroking Jessie's hair.

Jessie watched her mother run off as Dr. Bloor went the other way, heading to three girls who were being chased by some boys with water balloons.

Jessie sighed. She closed her eyes and concentrated. She struggled to find the boy who had saw the conversation, if there is one. She noticed that he was still there, watching.

Jessie opened her eyes. She didn't need to look around if her mother was still near. She could feel presences from anywhere if she felt like it, from a few feet away to thousands and thousands of miles away.

Jessie was startled when the boy appeared right next to her. He looked Hispanic; he has a caramel colored eyes and black hair. He wore a grim face. "Are you like your mami?"

Jessie knew little Spanish but she knew enough to know that 'mami' meant 'mother' in Spanish. "No, I'm not."

The boy seemed unconvinced. Jessie tried a new way to approach him. "Well, do you know Emma Tolly?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, I need her to stay out of danger. My mother wants me to spy on her…but…I can't. I just hope nothing bad happens to her."

The boy let down his guard, but he still stayed suspicious, but not enough. "My name is Antonio Enrique Hernando Remora. What's yours?"

"I'm Jessie Cassidy Johnson. Do you have anything I can eat; I don't think I can wait 'til dinner. See, I haven't eaten in three days. Mother wouldn't let me eat until I've done something useful."

Antonio looked shocked. "What? My mother always makes my family food! She works in the ice cream parlor with my dad. He can't speak English really well. Whenever I stop by, they give me some free ice cream.

Jessie's stomach growled. "Don't, please!" she pleaded, clutching her stomach. "Don't talk about food in front of me until I have eaten something."

"I could get you some food. Wait here." He sprinted off and down the stirs at the end of the corridor. Jessie stared at her stomach.

"I know stomach, I know. You're getting pretty lazy not digesting any food for three whole days. You're making this a lot harder for me to do things you know." Jessie said to her stomach. It growled again and Jessie slumped down, moaning with hunger. "I begin to think why I haven't run away years ago…I'm fifteen, old enough to take care of my self. But she'll catch me…she always have."

Jessie silenced herself when a huge group of students rushing out carrying their luggage to the front to wait, only an hour and a half to go.

She then felt Emma and Tancred's presence and turned to peek around the corner and watched.

Emma was all packed up. She wore her normal clothes, a white jacket and some dark blue jeans. Her hair was down and wavy as she carried her book bag around her torso. She held two bags in her hands and Tancred held his.

"Thanks Tancred." Emma said, smiling.

Tancred looked down at his shoes, blushing. "No problem. Hey, Emma?"

Emma looked at his brilliant blue eyes. "Yes?"

"Who are you going to the dance with?"

"Um…no one so far. Some people asked me but I turned them all down."

Tancred nodded, understanding everything. Emma wasn't herself when she told Tancred about the 'breaking up' part. He rather not tell her about that. "So, um…I was wondering…"

"TANCRED!" Lysander ran up to Tancred as he stood there, fuming with fury. If it was possible, there would be steam coming out of his ears, his face would be boiling red and then…he would explode.

"Oh…whoops…"Lysander gave a nervous chuckle as he saw Tancred there, furious and Emma, who was giggling madly.

"Um…I'll tell you on the way home…" Lysander backed up a couple of steps and raised his arms when rain poured on him. "Bye Tanc! Bye Em! See you guys on the bus!" Lysander yelled, dashing off.

The rain ceased and Tancred turned back to Emma, looking around to see if there weren't anymore distractions.

"Emma, would you got to the dan…"

"Emma! I thought you weren't going home!" Olivia exclaimed as she hurried to her friend. Once she saw Tancred, she stopped and turned to Emma, wearing a look of 'sorriness'.

"Oops…"

Tancred busted clean open. The whole hall was hailing madly and people ran out, protecting their heads with their books or bags, whatever they can get their hands on. They know one thing though…when it comes to Tancred's storms…take cover.

Olivia gave Emma a smile and then waved, backing up quickly. "Bye! Good luck!"

Emma patted Tancred. "Okay Tancred, she's gone. What were you going to ask me?"

Tancred drew in a deep breath. "Emma, will you…" He looked around. No distractions. "Go to…" He looked around again. "The dance…" No distractions so far. So far so good! "With me?" Tancred jumped with his victory and punched the air while Emma blushed and giggled.

"All right. Good timing too! The dance is tomorrow!" Emma sighed dreamily. She had already designed AND made her own dress. She was going to look fabulous!

Tancred was taken aback. "Tomorrow? The dance is TOMORROW? I think I'm gonna faint! I haven't had a suit!"

Emma grinned. "Well when you get home you better go shopping because it's tomorrow at 5:30. Don't be late!" Emma watched Tancred's expression as he checked his watch. "Not bad, I have time…I still have time…so why am I panicking? WHY AM I PANICKING?"

Everyone turned to stare at the storm boy and shook their heads and went back to their conversations. "Don't worry, I think everyone's panicking. This is the first dance at Bloor's ever since…well…the 18th century." said Emma, shrugging.

"The 18th century?"

"Okay, probably not that far…probably never."

"I need some cheering up…" Tancred said, sitting down on the floor, crossed-legged.

"Even though if you try to dance, and I know it's your first time and you may end up failing, and failing, and failing…"

"And this is supposed to cheer me up?" asked Tancred, looking at Emma with a weird look.

"You may never want to show your face to the laughing crowd ever again." Emma continued.

"Seriously, NOT. HELPING." Tancred said in an annoyed tone.

Emma smiled. "But you WILL get it. I know you will. You always manage to pull through somehow. You'll get through this one."

Tancred looked up and smiled. Emma smiled back. "Now _that_ was encouraging, Em."

"I know it is; I'm always encouraging people. Well, most of the time; like that one time when I helped Olivia gets to class, and the other time when I helped her get to her senses, there was one time when I helped Dannielle admit her feelings to Billy! I miss Dannielle…pity she had to move to…was it Transylvania or Bulgaria?"

"No, I think it was Romania…"

"No, wait…was it Finland? Or was it Wales?"

"Spain? I would like to go to Spain." Tancred said thoughtfully.

"Germany, France, Sweden, Denmark, Hungary?" Emma wondered.

"I'm sure it was Switzerland…but then Portugal is a beautiful place too…"

"It was Italy, wasn't it? No wait…Malta? Luxemburg? Croatia? Belgium? Or Bosnia and Herzegovina? Maybe Ukraine?" Emma suggested, going through her list of countries in Europe.

"I give up. I think we already said it." Tancred assumed. "I was thinking Latvia though…I always wanted to go there…but then again San Marino sounds great. I heard that…"

"We'll find out later, Dannielle is going to be at the dance. It's going to be really crowded. But the gardens should be big enough to handle that." Emma looked outside where the sun was shining happily between clouds. Half an hour left until the buses leave. Everyone was all coming from the stirs and halls and from, well, everywhere.

"Come on, we better get to the front before we're all stampeded over. I don't want to be run over by some people before the dance." said Tancred, standing back up.

"Well then let's go." The two squeezed their way to the door and waited patiently by the gates.


	13. Getting Ready

Emma watched Tancred and Lysander getting off the bus and waved them good bye from her window. They waved back and turned to go home, up the steep hill. Emma sat back into her seat and sighed. She was excited, but really nervous.

She gazed out the window and thought hard. Where can she find a quick place to learn how to dance? Will she look glamorous in her dress? What will Tancred think?

She got her bags and everything ready as the bus pulled up to her stop. She stood up in the narrow aisle and waited until the girls in front of her picked up their bags and followed them out and onto her street. She saw Ingledew's Bookstore just a block away and dragged her luggage all the way home.

When the bell gave the little tinkle sound, (no, not THAT sound, the little _ding_ sound) Miss Ingledew looked up and smiled. "One moment," Julia Ingledew mouthed to Emma as she returned her gaze to her costumer.

Emma, who couldn't really read lips (that's okay Em, I can't really read them either!), gave Julia a weird look and shrugged. She went into the backroom and sat on the couch, sighing. She looked around at the wedding decorations and her aunt's wedding dress.

"It looks so beautiful…" Emma said with wonder as she eyed the dress.

She got up and went to her room, seeing if the dress she made fitted her. She gently slipped it over her school clothes but then she thought about changing into it.

She slipped it off and looked at the dress, admiring it. It was sleeveless and there were no straps. There was a wide light purple silk ribbon running around the top of the torso, a light purple silk ribbon (acting as a belt) ran around her waist with a light purple bow fastened at her left side. There were ripples at the bottom of her dress, the one near the right was highest, and then the next came a few inches lower, and so on.

Beside the light purple ribbons and bow, the whole dress was pure white. She thought about wearing a white bangle on her right wrist and a light purple choker. She thought about letting her hair down and combing a bang to her right. Her long blonde hair would be slightly wavy and will be wearing high heeled shoes. The heels would be about one and a half inches tall.

She smiled and changed into the dress. As she eyed herself in the mirror, she spun around gracefully and sighed happily. It was a work of art. Well of course it was a work or art!

"Emma? Are you in here? Oh…" Julia gasped at the magnificent dress her niece made. "Oh, it's beautiful! Won't you get cold though? Oh what am I to worry about? I'm sure it will be pleasant at the dance. It is on April, isn't it?"

Emma nodded, spinning around one more time just to enjoy the pleasure of the dress. "Maybe I can make a dress for you Auntie!"

Julia smiled. "I bet I can. Maybe you could start selling dresses!" Julia patted Emma on the shoulder and looked at her face. "But what you need is some make-up! All the girls will be wearing make-up! We don't want to cover your stunning face heavily though, maybe a bit of lipstick here and a little eye shadow and eyeliner. Maybe mascara too…"

Emma looked at her face in the reflection. It would be nice…

"I'll think about it." said Emma.

"Alright dear, I have better get back to the store. Why don't you call your friend Olivia over, maybe she could use a dress. How long did it take you to make it?"

"A day and a half. I'm fairly quick with my hands." Emma said, smiling.

"Well maybe she could come over and spend the night. Why don't you ask?"

"Alright, thanks Auntie!" Emma gave Julia a quick kiss and rushed down to the phone in the backroom, downstairs, forgetting to take off her dress.

As she dialed Olivia's number, she paused. She looked around and stopped her gaze in the armchair. "My imagination," Emma muttered. She thought she saw a shadowy figure. Sure, it frightened her a tad but not enough to back away with fear and horror.

"Hello, who is this?" asked Olivia's voice through the receiver.

"Hi Livvy! Can you come over to spend the night? I can make a dress for you for the dance!" Emma said, forgetting about the figure for a moment.

"Really? Cool! I'll ask my mom." Emma heard Olivia leaving the phone on the table perhaps and waited, eyeing the armchair. Something was peculiar about that chair…something peculiar.

Then Emma heard Julia coming down the stairs, looking quite happy. She hummed to herself and went through the door to the store. "Emma, you there?" Olivia asked.

"I'm here, what did your mother say?"

"She says I can. I'll be over in a while. See ya later!"

"Okay, bye!"

Emma hung up and looked down at her fingers. It was still a little red from the scratches she got. Maybe she could cover them up by wearing gloves…but wouldn't that be too fancy? She decided to ask Olivia, the wardrobe expert.

Emma went upstairs to change into her normal clothes. She went to her window and saw the street below, jammed with people all walking busily to their destination. _They all looked grim and a little confused looking…why? _Emma thought, squinting through the glass window to get a better look on their faces. It seemed (irregularly) that the same expression seemed to _jump_ from one face to another. Like there was this old man wearing a happy face but then he bore a bored but desperate looking face. Later, a girl walked passed and the expression jumped form the old man (who returned to his happy look) and onto the girl's excited look, which became bored and desperate also.

"How odd," Emma uttered as she saw the expression jump from one person to another. Then it hit her…it was Mrs. Johnson! She was coming for her!

Emma, suddenly scared, ran downstairs and into the store. There were always people there…that made her feel comfortable. Bu not today…Mrs. Johnson may be coming into the store, searching for Emma. She sat abruptly in an armchair, concentrating, despite the fact there were noise in the store, cash register, people, people outside, Julia's lovely voice, books being moved and bagged, footsteps, etc…

Emma tried to close her mind and think clearly. She tried again…it's harder than it looks.

Olivia went into the store with her backpack and pillow, shaking Emma, who closed her eyes instead of her mind. "Em, are you sleeping while you sit up? That looks like an uncomfortable sitting position."

"It is." Emma said, shifting her weight to one side, and then other, trying to find a comfort spot on the chair, unaware that Mrs. Johnson had passed, not knowing where Emma lived. Emma opened her eyes, blinking, giving her eyes time to adjust to the sudden burst of light.

"Well come on, let's go up to your room!" Olivia said, pulling Emma out of the chair. "We have to get started on the dress design and finding the right cloth! I want something comfortable but flashy!" Olivia kept going on and on about the things they needed to do.

"Olivia, it's only like 10 in the morning! We have plenty of time! Just don't touch the wedding decorations!" Emma warned, moving things aside so that both girls wouldn't accidentally trip over something.

Olivia jumped over a stool and stormed upstairs. Emma, who didn't feel like being left alone right now, followed her hurriedly, still worrying about mind controlling. Olivia was already in Emma's room, examining Emma's dress with amazement.

"Wow, your dress is so stunning! Okay, I want my dress to be a dark red and with some black! I want two black straps about two and a half inches wide, red fuzz with some sparkly fuzz trim at the top of the torso, the rest of the dress all red, bell shaped but flowing, black and sparkly fuzz trim at the bottom, the dress goes down to my ankles, the red, flowing part is all silky and there's a waist line down to my waist. The upper part of my torso fits a little bit tight and the rest below my waistline is all flowing along." Olivia rushed out.

Emma pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil, copying as much as she could remember. Surprisingly, she remembered nearly every detail that Olivia had said. She had to have Olivia retelling her list. "Okay, let's find the items we need!" Emma said, placing he pencil behind her ear and folded the piece of paper and stuck it into her pocket. "Let's go to Diana's Sewing Supplies!"

Olivia's eyes widen. "Just think of all of the items there! I could use those in my acts!"

"Well, what are you waiting for? You got some money?" Emma asked, slipping on her jacket.

"I brought twenty dollars…" Olivia shrugged.

"I'll go get a hundred out of my jar." Emma said, reaching under the bed for a huge transparent jar. She unscrewed the lid and reached in and found 10 tens.

"I've been saving up my money." Emma explained.

"Oh…I should start doing that!" Olivia said, opening the door. "Let's go!"

_**Diana's Sewing Supplies…**_

__As the girls reached the store, a red headed lady came up with a huge smile. "Emma! Back so soon? And I see you've brought a friend! What can I do for you two?"

"Hi Clara, I need…" Emma pulled out the sheet of paper and gave it to the lady, who looked at Emma's delicate handwriting. "All of that."

"Making another dress? This one sounds flashy…" Clara said, grinning. "Is it for you or for your friend?"

"It's for Olivia," Emma replied, jerking her head towards Olivia's direction.

"Hi, I'm Olivia Vertigo!"

"Oh! You're Olivia Vertigo! You're Vivienne's girl! I love your mother's movies! Okay, I'll be right back with the right cloth and trims you need, be a sec."

Clara disappeared behind a counter and into a backroom. The girls looked around the little shop and examined the little tiny trims with rainbow colored stars and the fake golden lilies you could pin onto a piece of clothing.

Olivia spotted a wide ribbon that was transparent except for the shiny silver sparkles. "Oooh! Emma, do you think that making a headband out of this would look good, or how about a black sparkly one?" Olivia pointed to the ribbon right beside the silver one. It looked the same, except the color sparkles.

"I think the black sparkles would be nice. Under it could be a red ribbon. Since the backgrounds of the black sparkles are transparent, it will look like there are black sparkles on a red headband." Emma said thoughtfully.

"You should be a designer!" Olivia exclaimed, grabbing the black sparkly one and the plain blood red one.

Emma blushed. "Oh, you!"

Clara came back out with tons of materials. "Girls," Clara called back.

The two friends headed back to the counter where Clara still wore her smile. "We have the black and sparkly fuzz and the red and sparkly fuzz," Clara said, piling feet and feet of the fuzzes.

"We have the red cloth," Clara placed the silk red cloth on the counter where the two girls eyed it with wonder. Clara seemed satisfied by the looks on their faces. "Yes, the red silk is a beauty, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is!" Olivia said, feeling the silk.

"We have the black straps for you but we have to measure your shoulders and everything." Clara said, taking out a tape measurer. Olivia allowed Clara to measure her shoulders. Every once in a while, Olivia would giggle and Clara would have to smile and say, "Stand still,"

As soon as the measurements were in, Clara cut the black straps to the correct length and handed them over. She also gave them a free gift! A whole package of sewing needles, thimbles, everything you need to sew!

"How much does this all cost?" asked Olivia in a worried voice.

"Wait, we need the hard part for the headband too!" Emma said quickly.

"Oh that, that's a dollar more. You owe me…$114.34." Clara said, calculating the amount on the computer.

The girls sighed with relief and turned in all of their money, getting $5.66 back. They all bagged it and waved a cheery bye to Clara, who waved back and turned to help another costumer.

_**Ingledew's Bookstore…**_

__The girls spent a happy morning making Olivia's dress. First they started with the headband. Emma placed the plastic that belonged inside of the headband to see if it would need some adjusting on Olivia's head. It fitted Olivia's head perfectly.

Olivia watched Emma delicately sew on the wide ribbons on it and made a few notes of math to figure out the radius, diameter, circumference, etc. From time to time, Emma would stop and wipe the sweat off of her forehead. Olivia went to fetch them some drinks but as she opened the door, Julia stood there with a tray of lemonade.

She figured that they were thirsty. "Good luck," Julia said, creeping back down.

Olivia licked her lips as she nervously watched the clock. She wanted to help but she didn't know how to do all of this 'sewing mania' and 'artistic hand magic' ways. So she helped Emma by making Emma comfortable. Whenever Emma started to sweat, Olivia would dab her head with a cloth dipped in cold water. When Emma showed signs of dehydration, like licking her lips, Olivia would pick up Emma's lemonade and put it in front of her with the straw in her direction and she would take a sip.

If Emma's fingers ached, Olivia would run down and get cold water into a plastic baggie and run back up and placed the bag over Emma's fingers. It's the best she could do.

As time ticked by, Charlie was standing outside, clean and well fed right outside of Ingledew's, well hidden inside a telephone booth.

Charlie saw Olivia up in the window in Emma's room, moving here from there, and everywhere. _What is she doing? _ Charlie thought to himself as he kept watch. He longed to just pop in and announced that he was back…but that would leave some disadvantages…Julia would phone Paton and he would rush over as quick as possible…and that was quick for he had long legs and could rush over to Ingledew's faster than a cheetah pouncing on its prey…okay, not really but see, it's exaggeration, part of an author's way of story creating…now here was I? Oh yeah! Charlie looked around nervously.

Nothing unusual happening so he turned his gaze back to the window until someone tapped the glass of the telephone booth impatiently. "Come on! I haven't got all day you know!" A man vigorously tapping the booth wasn't very helpful so Charlie exited and quickly  
"jumped into the crowd" to stay unnoticed.

_**Meanwhile… **_

Tancred and Lysander were browsing the "tuxedo" section of the, yes; you _saw _it, the MALL! "I don't like it here, it smells too perfume-y." Tancred muttered, picking up the white dress shirt and red tie, eyeing it carefully. "Isn't shopping what girls do all the time?"

"You read too many books with the statement that girls ALWAYS go shopping, not the boys and men." Lysander grinned grimly as a spray of cologne hit him smack in the face, er, nose.

"Since when do I ever read?" Tancred asked, picking up a black dress-jacket.

"If you haven't noticed, this section is filled with males…and some females and kids but still…" Lysander stroked a certain tie, liking how it feels.

"That's because the girls DRAGGED them here, they don't want to be here, and they want to be outside, playing football and getting dirty, immature! This…this place is too…too…_clean and girly_."

"It's supposed to smell like that." Lysander took a big sniff to show how it's supposed to affect the customer's satisfactions.

Tancred still went on about how this place is torture for boys and will never do it again unless necessary. The only part he likes about the Mall is the video game store, the candy store, the sports shop, and the food court. He then stopped murmuring about it all and picked up another white shirt.

"Hey, should I just wear a white dress-shirt and a red tie with the proper black pants and black belt with new polished dress shoes or will I have to add the jacket?"

"Since when do you care?" asked Lysander, poking a blue flannel shirt with boredom.

"I have to look my best!" Tancred exclaimed nervously, putting the white shirt in front of him while looking in a mirror and then the blue, white, blue, white, blue, red…where'd the red come from???

"The red clashes your hair. I think the blue is the best. White, you'll be too bright because your hair is bright." Lysander picked "logically".

Tancred half agreed on his friend's decision. Red looked kinda good on him but he went for blue anyway.

"But, what about the jacket?"

"Um…don't wear it. You would look too flashy, and that's bad…except for the drama students and you're not one of them."

"True…How much does this all cost me?"

"I dunno, check the prices on the price scanner over there." Lysander pointed to a price scanner just seven feet away.

Tancred, one by one, scanned the items and took a few minutes to add it all up. "$83.23, not too expensive. How much you got?" asked Tancred, digging in his jeans for the money his mom gave him for the new clothes.

"I have a penny…"

"That's not much!"

"I also have $90.00 but I guess _that's _not much either." Lysander said sarcastically.

"Oh forget you," Tancred said playfully, adding up his money. "Yes! I have a hundred! Ha, beat that! Oops, sorry…" Tancred added when some people stared at him with an annoyed look on their faces. "Sorry!" Tancred said again, with much weakness as he slid out of the section with Lysander following, shaking his head.

Tancred tried to change the subject. "Hey, you said you wanted to tell me something on the bus but you didn't. What was it?"

Lysander's face lit up brightly. "They let me dance with Lauren at the traditional dance! Just as long as all of the endowed are there, it's alright."

"Sander, that's great! Well, aren't you going to buy something?"

"I already have one, I brought along more money so I can spend it on a gift for Lauren."

"Hey, I should buy Emma a gift too! But what should I get her?"

"Something artistic, no doubt." Lysander said.

"Clay? Pencils, maybe something more romantic…like a crystal bird!" Tancred said excitedly. But he then groaned. "That would cost me a fortune though…"

"Don't worry, I'll help you but whatever you need with the remaining money I have."

"Lysander, your name should be changed to 'Lifesaver'!" Tancred joked, laughing at his little pun.


	14. Hannah Porter

Hannah Porter sat at the kitchen table, writing letters to her relatives in Wales, with her family, Daniel Porter (the father), was reading a book while having his portion of his dinner. Allie Porter sat there, poking her dinner with her fork with boredom. "Mom, can I be excused?"

"Have you finished your dinner?" asked Hannah Porter, scribbling down some dates of events.

Allie quickly and silently picked up her plate of food and slid the food off of her plate and into her dog's dog food bowl, where Remy (the bulldog) slurped the food all up in a happy slurp.

"Yes," Allie said, waiting for Remy to finish the rest of her food.

Mrs. Porter looked up and smiled. "Wow, seventeen clean plates in a row, a new record you reckon sweetie."

"You mean twenty clean plates in a row." Allie said, grinning at Remy who plopped over to his doggie bed; content.

"Really? Oh yes, Lunch and Breakfast today…you never finish your lunch and breakfast…I wonder why you did so today…" Mrs. Porter eyed Allie's other siblings with a thoughtful look.

Beatrice Porter, the eldest sibling in the family (15), looked away. "There's no way I'm going to eat ALL of my food!" Beatrice threw back her long brown hair, ignoring her bangs that covered her eyes a bit.

Alex Porter, the second eldest (14), looked at his dinner (spinach, green beans, mashed potatoes, and carrot slices) with disgust and pushed his helpings away. "I rather jump off a cliff!" Alex's spiky brown hair stayed stiff like rocks…Allie didn't like that ahir, too…too…stiffly.

Allie, who was the next (13), smiled at her older siblings. "Don't you want to be a good role model for Tim and Gwen?"

Tim Porter, age 6, looked at his carrots and then at Allie. "Are carrots really good for you?" He has brown hair, just short brown hair…

"Of course they are!" Allie said, wearing a cheerful look. She was so glad that she was gifted with the art of acting; otherwise she would have been grounded.

Tim poked his carrots and Gwen, age 4, looked at her carrots and then at Tim's.

"How come his carrots are bigger then mine?" pouted Gwen. Gwen's medium length light brown hair swayed as she jumped up and down, pouting even louder.

"Because he's bigger than you Gwen, when you're older, you'll be big and strong, only if you eat your carrots." Allie said, patting her little sister on the back.

Alex looked at Allie. "How could you stand this stuff?"

Allie cast a glance at her parents, who looked too occupied with what they're doing.

"I give them to Remy, stupid." Allie murmured at Alex, who grinned.

"I seeeeee…"

He gave Remy a hopeful look but Remy was sleeping.

"I call Remy tomorrow." Alex muttered to Allie, who stood up to go to her room.

"No way, feed your own pet!" Allie said.

"Viper and Venom doesn't eat human food!" Alex said fiercely. "They like to eat live food!"

"Then get your snakes some live food! You'll have to figure this one out dude; I can't help you on this one."

Beatrice looked at Alex and Allie with an interesting look. Beatrice caught Allie by the arm, whispering, "Do you think Maddie likes seafood?" Allie knew she was referring to Beatrice's pet cat.

"She's cat! They all like fish! I'm sure she'll like tuna…Look, why don't you just tell mom and dad you're allergic to tuna? You've been hiding that fact for years!"

"Then I would have to go to the doctor for some special things! I don't like doctors! I have doctor-phobia!" Beatrice said in a low voice.

"Well too bad!" Allie hissed, fighting her grip. At last she fought the grip off and slammed her door to her room.

Allie plopped herself onto her bed and sighed, looking at a huge eternal ice sculpture that the Bloor's wanted at the Spring Dance. It was an Ice Sculpture of The Red King, standing boldly with a scepter clutched in his right hand and his left and in a fist of triumph raised high above his head. He had his cape on and his face was a kind, but triumph, smile.

"I wonder why the Bloor's want it." Allie asked herself, literally.

"I don't know, ask mom!" Allie mimicked her 'other' side.

"But what if she doesn't want me to know? What if she thinks I'm being nosy?" asked Allie in a worried voice.

She then switched tone and is acting like her other side again, turning around so that she was facing the place she was once in. "So what? Tell her that you really can't wait for the surprise! How simple is that? Sometimes I can't believe how stupid I am."

"Excuse me?" Allie asked in an offended tone.

"Hey, I'm saying I, that means me too you know! Sheesh, lighten up!"

"Whatever you say Allie." Allie muttered, crossing her arms.

"Don't you turn your back on me, I mean, I!"

"I'll do what I want to do, this I, not your I!"

"MY I says that you're being immature!"

"Am not!"

"Shut up."

"That's a bad word!"

"It is not! Sure it's not nice but it's not a curse word or anything."

"Whoever says curse? We all say 'cuss' now!"

Allie stopped herself from getting into a fight with herself. "Man…I have got to stop doing that…it takes me a few minutes to get me out of that issue…What am I going to do? Should I ask mom or should I keep to myself?"

"I say you-"

"Oh who cares what you say, I mean, I say!"

"But-"

"OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" Allie yelled, turning around at her other side, but to stop and stare. "Hi mom!" Allie added weakly.

Mrs. Porter stood there, smiling an amused smile. "How much did you hear?" asked Allie, sitting down, nervously.

"Pretty much…"

"Everything!" Alex said from behind Mrs. Porter.

Mrs. Porter scowled at him. "Alex, go play video games or do something other than irritating your sister."

"Okay, but all I'm saying is that you should consider anger classes, Allie." Alex told Allie with a smirk.

"Shoo, get on with your night. This is a waste of time for you." Mrs. Porter said, pushing Alex out with her right hand. "Go and watch t.v or something. Go read a book."

Alex scoffed. "Since when do I ever read?"

"I'm not a clairvoyant, am I?" asked his mother, crossing her arms.

"You could be. Dad said that you were endowed but he never said how."

"Did he then?" Mrs. Porter faced the kitchen door, where Mr. Porter smiled nervously and then rushed to the living room.

"Alex, just go or you're grounded and can't play video games for a month."

"A month?" Alex exclaimed skeptically.

"Two months."

"Hey, I'm going, don't push it to the limit…" Alex left the room quickly and Mrs. Porter closed the door gently, facing Allie.

"Allie, love, what's wrong?"

"Mom…what's that statue for?" asked Allie, finally deciding to ask.

"The statue of ice? It's for the Spring Dance…why?"

"Why do the Bloor's want it? Is there something special about it?"

"It is indeed special. I guess they want to look good in front of all of the other headmasters and headmistress and their students." Hannah Porter said, gazing into the statue with affection.

Allie noticed this. "Mom, are you endowed?"

Mrs. Porter hesitated, looking around. She sighed. "I have never told Beatrice or Alex or Tim or Gwen this…I am endowed with Eternal Ice Making…I do this for a living when I was younger. I attended Bloor's myself back then…I was in the Art Department and my teacher, she's retired, Mrs. Faun taught me everything I know.

"I met your father there, he wasn't endowed, gracious no, he was in the Music Department…his sister was in the Drama Department, like you. After a few years after we graduated from Bloor's we got married…

"I don't know why but I felt like having five children. I know it costs a lot of money from the Hospital Bills but we managed…besides, I thought about having a sixth one. He's coming in a few months. Anyway, since Beatrice is in Music and Alex in Art, we have the three eldest kids in three different departments, just like your father, your aunt, and I.

"Only Alex is endowed out of the whole family, so he will be attending the Dance."

"Alex is endowed?" Allie asked miraculously.

"He never told you? He has been trying to keep it a secret for a while, ever since he was 11. Three years…I'm impressed. I found out when he was playing around with his endowment."

"What is his endowment?"

"Well, he can shape-shift." Mrs. Porter said thoughtfully.

"He's a shape-shifter?" Allie said with amazed jealousy.

"Yes…I found him in his room, changing back and forth from a human to a dog. He wanted to see how dogs can use their sense of smell."

"So that's he got an A on his science test! Science was never his big thing."

"Yes, I suppose so. I didn't confront him then, I asked him about it later though…he told me to keep it a secret but everyone will know sometime so why not now?"

Allie thought hard on the ice and at her mother's face, wondering about the dance coming up. "Mom, is it possible for a warlock to drain someone else's power out of what they created with their endowment?"

Mrs. Porter stared. "Allie,"

"Yeah mom?"

"Don't think such nonsense."

"Mom, if the Bloors wanted-"

"Allie, just drop it, I'm starting to get a headache…" Hannah moaned, clutching her forehead.

"Mom, please!" Allie said frantically.

"Sorry Allie, I have to go lay down." Mrs. Porter stood up so quickly, nearly fell off her bed.

Mrs. Porter left the room as Allie stared after her. "Moms are so secretive." Allie muttered.


	15. The Morning

Lyell Bone woke up sleepily at 5:00 in the morning. He stumbled out of bed, trying not to wake up Amy and headed to their bathroom in their room. He turned on the light and looked at himself in the mirror, looking downhearted. "I'll never find Charlie…" he said sadly.

_Why are you giving up so quickly? Charlie never gave up hope that you were dead! He held on for years! More than a decade and here you are, giving up before three weeks is even up! _A voice in Mr. Bone's head scowled.

Mr. Bone sighed and grabbed his toothbrush, ignoring his inner self. He added on toothpaste and water and brushed, hearing Amy stir. "Lyell, is that you?" Mrs. Bone asked, blinking rapidly at Mr. Bone.

"Yes Amy, it is me." Mr. Bone said under all of that toothpaste.

Amy gave a little sleepy moan and turned, facing the other side. "What time is it?"

"It's about 5:30." Mr. Bone said, spitting out the paste and germs into the sink before rinsing.

"Why are you up so early?"

"To start looking for Charlie before work."

"Oh…I see…May I come with you?" asked Amy, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

"Of course you may. You better hurry up though, you have at least an hour and a half before work and I have three." Mr. Bone said, cleaning his face by rubbing water around his eyes and cheeks.

Amy threw the cover off of her and stood up a little wobbly. "I'll go wash up downstairs. I'll meet you in the kitchen in at least fifteen minutes."

"Don't wake Paton up or he'll go raid the fridge again." Mr. Bone said, hoping that his little joke would cheer Mrs. Bone up a notch.

Mrs. Bone smiled. "I bet he wouldn't dare with me around. He's always afraid that I would catch him. He doesn't like anyone scolding him."

Mrs. Bone opened the door that led to the hallway and slowly made her way down the stairs. She then heard a little crunching sound in the kitchen. She peeked in when she got all the way down and placed her hands on her hips. "Paton!"

Paton looked up from the kitchen table. He was about to pop in a chicken nugget when Mrs. Bone came in. The chicken nugget was still in Paton's hands, half way to his open mouth. Paton had froze, eyes wide. He slowly took a little bite from the chicken nugget and slowly closed the fridge door, eyes still fixed on Mrs. Bone, who raised her eyebrow.

Paton looked at his chicken nugget and made a run for it. He leaped up the stairs two at a time while Amy threw up her hands, saying, "Paton, I'm going to scold you when I get home!"

She heard a door closing loudly and she shook her head. Mr. Bone thundered down the stairs wearing a little smile. "Paton?"

"Paton," Mrs. Bone sighed.

"I bet you he'll start coming down here for an early morning snack, right before his morning snack at six, which is before his mid-morning snack at eight…"

"His schedule is an early morning snack at five, a morning snack at six, a mid-morning snack at eight, an afternoon snack at twelve, a quarter afternoon snack at one, half afternoon snack at three, late afternoon snack at five, evening snack at seven, mid evening snack at eight, evening snack at ten, midnight snack at twelve, half early morning snack at three a.m." Mrs. Bone recited with out a pause. She had captured Paton so many times that she had recorded all of his times and made up a schedule so she didn't have to worry about robbers in the house every time she head something in the kitchen.

Mr. Bone shook his head with amazement. "I feel sorry for Julia. She'll have to make plenty of snacks to keep up with Paton's schedule. You have hinted that to her, have you?"

Mrs. Bone tilted her head. "It might've slipped out…"

"Come on, you go wash up and I'll try to figure out what Paton stole from the fridge and see if it will tamper my mother's anger." Mr. Bone said, opening the fridge.

_**A Few Hours Later At Ingledew's Bookstore…**_

Emma woke up to a sight sound in her room. She woke up, startled that Mrs. Johnson had finally cornered her but she sighed with relief when she saw Olivia in her new dress.

"Livvy, what are you doing? The dance isn't until tomorrow!"

"It _is_ tomorrow silly!" Olivia said excitedly. "Only seven and a half hours left to go!"

"What?!" Emma sat straight up, staring at Olivia. Olivia beamed as she spun around in her dress.

"Don't worry; I can't wait for everyone else! Just think about the endowed from other countries! I've always wanted to see what a Vietnamese robe is like! Everyone says that it's a flowing type of robe with silky pants! I want one so bad! You don't think one of them would…"

"I doubt that Olivia." Emma said, rubbing her eyes as she yawned.

"Yeah…bet Mom hadn't tried one yet! She's tried on loads of different dresses! I think her favorite was from Canada…" Olivia looked at herself in the mirror, sighing. "Oh Emma, how could I ever repay you?"

"You could be my bodyguard." Emma muttered.

Olivia laughed. She stopped when she saw the grim look on her friend's face. "You're serious?"

Emma took a breath and told Olivia about the voice and the woman controlling her and everything. Olivia was a good audience…unless if you counted all of those twenty-eight times she interrupted. As Emma finished, Julia Ingledew knocked on the door, calling in a cheerful voice. "Girls, it's time to wake up!"

The door opened and Julia looked at their faces. Emma and Olivia had just switched to their happy faces…well, Olivia was happy, Emma pretended to be sleepy.

"Ok Auntie…I'll be there…just in a few minutes…" Emma plopped her head back on to her pillow, shutting her eyes and tried to pretend.

Julia placed her hands on her hips, saying in a mock voice. "Emma Tolly, you will wake or else I will have to do one thing that you hate the most…I will have to pour cold water over you!"

Julia rushed out of the room, searching for a bucket. Emma scrambled out of bed and into the bathroom. "See Auntie, I am out of bed! You can't pour water over me anymore like you did last time!"

Last time was four months ago, when Emma refused to get out of bed at five in the morning…guess who had a cold and watery shock!

Julia smiled with satisfaction when she watched from the hall. She turned to Olivia, who spun around over and over again, loving how the dress twirled around her legs with grace. "Emma should be a famous designer." Olivia said.

"She should be." Julia said, smiling. "Maybe when she's older, she could design her own wedding dress and wear it! It will be a wedding dress like no other."

"I have a distant feeling who's she's gonna marry." Olivia laughed.

Julia grinned wider. "So do I…but I don't think I would like rain around my books."

Emma, who had been listening, blushed fiercely. She washed her face with a cloth and hung it on a silver ring before walking out of the bathroom. "Olivia, you don't mind if you stay outside while I change, do you?" asked Emma.

"I don't mind. Just hurry up." Olivia replied, stumbling out of the room. She was getting a bit dizzy…sorry, I meant REALLY dizzy.

Emma closed the door and grabbed a blue shirt and some jeans. She changed quickly into them and opened the door, to see Olivia lying on the ground, panting. "So…dizzy…why is the world so blurry? Emma, since when did you have a twin?" asked Olivia. Obviously, she was seeing double.

Emma smiled. She pulled Olivia up as Olivia grinned. "Wasn't I a good actress?"

"You still are."

"Thank you, I think I would be happy to hear it."

"Come on, change out of your dress. I will be waiting downstairs for you. I wonder what my auntie made, smells good…" The smell of bacon and eggs reached their noses…there was also a slight hint of cinnamon rolls too.

Emma went down as Olivia went to change. Julia stood with her back facing Emma. She was getting a cup of coffee when Emma set herself down at the table, looking hungrily at the cinnamon rolls. "How are you such a good cook? Who taught you?" asked Emma as she helped herself to some breakfast.

"Your Great Aunt Tasha taught me. I could teach you sometime. I'm sure your future husband would appreciate that. Just hope he doesn't _blow _you off your feet." Julia hinted.

Emma knew what she was talking about and looked down, turning brightly red. "What day is it again?" asked Olivia as she came down to the kitchen.

She decided to wear a purple and white shirt with dark jeans. Her hair was dyed a lime green color and she wore white high heeled flip-flops. She sat beside Emma and stared at the food.

"Miss Ingledew?"

"Yes?"

"How are you such a good cook?"

"Wow…'déjà vu'." Julia said with a smile.

"What do you mean 'déjà vu'?  
"Emma asked the exact same thing a few seconds earlier."

Olivia gaped at Emma who nodded as she chewed her bacon.

"Weird…" Olivia stayed silent as she ate her breakfast. Emma broke the silence after breakfast by saying, "So…now what are we going to do?"

Olivia shrugged. "I feel like deciding what make-up we're going to put on."

Emma's eyes widen. "That's a great idea! I need a little help with things though."

"Well, come on! I need to show you tips and tricks to make people more glamorous!"

"Not too much though or it'll cover up Emma's pretty face!" Julia called, shaking her head as she laughed to herself.

Olivia had wanted Emma to put on a sparkling silver eye shadow and an extremely light pink lipstick. A bit of black mascara and eyeliner and Emma would look stunning-er than ever.

Emma laughed when Olivia accidentally put green lipstick on Emma just to see what it looks like. "Oops…well…green does look good on you! You are an art student! But it won't match your dress, will it?"

Olivia wanted to use the curler on Emma's hair as well. All Emma could do was smile and roll her eyes in a playful kind of way. Then it was Emma's turn to decide on Olivia.

"I think black eye shadow, blood red lipstick, a lot of mascara and a bit of eyeliner." Emma had said.

Olivia looked at the mirror at her image and thought about the descriptions on her with the gown. "Yeah, that would really look good!"

"And you could use some accessories. How about a black bangle on your right wrist and a pair of red dangly earrings…you could use a flower on the top of your head! It would be red…and your hair could be tied up in a curly ponytail!" Emma added on eagerly.

Olivia was delighted to hear it. "Emma, when I'm rich and famous, I want you to be my personal hairdresser!"

"Well I would be honored." Emma laughed.

_**At The Pet's Café…**_

Paton had visited the café days ago. He had revisited later, after his morning snack. Onoria and her sisters were all huddled together, whispering. Orvil was annoyed. "They never let me in any of their conversations. Whenever I come up close, they break apart and stopped talking! It drives me insane!"

Paton shook his head. "You know women, they like to gossip. Leave them be and when they leave, everything will be back to normal.

"Anyway, Charlie was here…he left and never returned…"

"Yes, that's what happened." Mr. Onimous said sadly. "I never knew…I am so sorry I let my guard down! Of course the Bloor's would NEVER let him go! I am so idiotic!"

"No you're not. Charlie is just furious because everyone is blaming him." Paton said firmly.

"I wish I could've done something!" Orvil wailed.

The blue boa noticed this and wrapped itself around Mr. Onimous's neck, hissing, what it seems in snake language, a lullaby.

"The boa is right." Paton said. "Calm down, you have no idea so it's not your fault. It's my fault that I let him run off from Ingledew's Bookstore. Don't blame yourself."

"I wish I could do something…wait a minute…I can. Oh Flames!"

Paton slapped his head. "Of course! Why haven't I thought of that?"

Orvil lightened up. "They would be able to locate the boy. Now, now my little pretties. You know what to do."

Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius meowed and they ran through the back door in a blaze of light. "Ahh…those magnificent creatures always calm me so." Mr. Onimous said, staring into space.

Paton nodded. "I think I shall follow them."

"Mr. Yewbeam, what about the lights…you'll break them all."

"This is Charlie we're speaking of. I don't care about that anymore. Haven't you notice that I didn't wear any shades here?" asked Paton, grinning. "I am so proud of myself."

Mr. Onimous smiled worriedly. "I'll come with you. I'm the one who set the boy free. I shall come. Besides, the sisters should be able to take care of the café without me since there are five of them…"

"Then come, let's go before we lose sight of the cats."

"I think we might be too late but I can always tell if we're in their presence."

_**At Bloor's Academy…**_

Manfred was standing outside, awaiting the new students (if you all read my story instead of skimming through the chapters you all would know) eagerly.

Three white cars appeared and the doors opened. Three kids, two boys and a girl stepped out of them at the same time and blinked at Manfred with a pleased look.

A man wearing a suit came out and said in a very strong French accent, "These are the children of Monsieur Aimo and Madame Airianne."

The three kids nodded. Manfred's eyes widen a little bit, so little that you couldn't notice it. Three siblings and they come here in three limos…they seem so spoiled…or their parents are.

"This is Master Aldric." the man said, nodding to the closest one to him Aldric stood there, giving a little smile. His brown hair was combed to the right and his brown eyes were shining with excitement. He looked about twelve if you ask him.

"Then there's Master Calogero." Calogero has blonde hair…long blonde hair. Not long, long, but down to his shoulders. They slant in direction also…to the left. His blue eyes looked into Manfred's eyes. Manfred nodded as Calogero nodded back. He looked eleven to Manfred. He probably is.

"And the eldest of them all, Mistress Ambre, she prefers to be called Azura, by her middle name." Azura seemed to be thirteen.

Azura gave Manfred a smile and a wave. Her long blonde hair swayed in the wind. Manfred nodded. He turned to the man. "Are they endowed or not?"

"They are all endowed, sir."

"What are their endowments?"

"Aldric is a Nightmare Reader. He can read people's nightmare and make them come to life. Calogero is a Confusionist. He can confuse people and make them attack themselves if he wishes that to happen. Azura is a Fire Manipulator. She is well know back at home to burn people if she feels like it…" The man seemed very uncomfortable when he announced Azura's endowment. He was patting his left arm too. He probably got burned once.

"I see…Aldric, what are you most best at, Art, Music, or Drama?"

"Music," Aldric replied simply. "I play the flute."

"Calogero?"

"Music too, I play violin."

"Azura?"

"Art, I paint and sketch." Azura said, turning her gaze to the building with a slightly disgusted look.

"Come on in. Tour the school; I'll assign you to you dorms later. Right now I have to do some important planning. Today is the Spring Dance; of course you all know that. Be back in the gardens by 5:30 or you'll die…you don't want that to happen now, do you?"

They shook their heads and walked past Manfred. The man motioned to someone in the cars. Turns out to be someone-s. They all wore the same suit as the man who announced everything and they carried the luggage inside.

Manfred stood there, awaiting thousands of more people to go. All the foreign endowed…that are under eighteen… Manfred was glad that the next group didn't take so long. It was the Indian group from Asia.

"Welcome to Bloor's Academy."


	16. The Arrivals

Paton and Mr. Onimous stood outside of the library with confusion. The Flames sat in front of them, gazing into their eyes. "Charlie is at the library? I didn't think the words 'Charlie' and 'library' couldn't be in a sentence without the word 'not'." Paton said.

Aries meowed and Leo just licked his paw. Sagittarius waved his tail patiently as he looked into the library windows.

"Well, let's see for ourselves." Mr. Onimous said, walking up the stairs to the library. Paton went after him, hot on his heels. Although Mr. Onimous went first, Paton's legs were longer and Paton out-went-up-the-stairs him and reached the doors first.

Paton waited patiently for his partner and watched the Flames sitting at the steps of the library. Mr. Onimous reached Paton with a pant. "They have got to make elevators around here! Don't they know that some people don't nearly have the strength just to reach a book?"

Paton chuckled. "Well come on, let's not lose him again."

As they opened the door, (you know how the library smells? For some it smells new and some other smell and for some it smelled 'booky'. Mine smells nice and stuff…I call it the 'New Library Smell' like when I come to school I smell the 'New School Smell'…moving on!) the smell of the library hit them. Paton breathed it in and sighed back. "Ah…The smell of knowledge. You do know knowledge is power."

"Yes, and hopefully we can find the poor lad."

"Right, let's go."

_**Bloor's Academy…**_

Manfred had just greeted the people from India (Aadi, a boy, Vairagini, a girl, Karu, a boy, Sarvani, a girl, and Jahan, a boy.).

Now he was waiting for another group to come. Of course, the five above isn't all of India's endowed. There was bound to be much more. The next group was a huge group of students from Canada. Twenty-three students stepped out of the long limo and gazed around Bloor's, looking very interested in exploring.

A woman (maybe the Headmistress) stepped out and the students snapped to attention. "I am Headmistress Sophia Harkins. My students are very talented of course, that's why they are here." Headmistress Harkins' long brown hair was tied and pinned into a bun as her grey eyes scanned Bloor's Academy.

Manfred listened as she listed all of her students:

Alec: Summon an Ice Dragon to do his bidding

Arianne: Telekinesis

Brittany: Earth Manipulator

Caleb: Mind Controller (Manfred paid more attention to this)

Cassidy: Telekinesis

Can Ly: Ability to fly

Carol: Shape Shifter

Ellen: Time Traveler

Gee: Summon his spirits

Helga: Can turn her self to liquid and ooze out of small places and turn back

Jin Ae: Shape Shifter

John: Air Manipulator

Johnny: Air Manipulator

Kira: Able to produce Sound Waves

Nina: Able to see the future (but not all of it)

Oliver: Ability to Fly

Penny: Super Speed

Penelope: Invisibility

Rylie: Shape Shift

Sierra: Make things come alive

Sam: Invisibility

Terra: Telekinesis

Xavier: Atmokinetic (Storm Bringer)

Manfred looked at them all, studying them with his eyes. "All right," he said finally "all of you come in. Explore a little, but be back with your formal outfits by 5:30 sharp."

The Canadians heaved their luggage into the school and began to talk and point things out.

Manfred had no idea which one was good and which one was evil, I mean, ebil.

Manfred heard a bark from inside the limo and a hound dog jumped out. It was HUGE! Manfred was taken aback. Mistress Harkins said simply, "This is my dog, Lila. Lila, sit."

Lila sat, wagging her tail eagerly. Manfred said, "I knew dogs were big but I didn't know they were THAT big!"

Mistress Harkins gave him a small smile. "I knew that was to be your reaction, same for me when I adopted her. Isn't that right my little Lila?"

Lila barked happily and ran into Bloor's Academy, finding a good place to do her business. Mistress Harkins (I forgot to mention) is a very old woman about Manfred's height. Manfred thought, _She and my great grandfather will get along quite nicely. Blessed isn't much but Lila is…she looks troublesome._

Mistress Harkins looked around. "Ah…I see another group arriving. I shall go in and escort my pupils; I assume that you stay here to greet the arrivals, no?"

Manfred said, "I stay here until I greet everyone. It's going to be a very long day."

"I see, should I alert someone to bring you something to eat?"

"No, I'm fine."

"What about later?" asked Mistress Harkins as her limo drove off and the new students' white limo decorated with flags drove in.

"Then I will have to suck it up and wait until later."

Mistress Harkins nodded and walked through the gates.

Seven students emerged from the long car and they were all boys. A man stepped out as well. "I am Headmaster Finnur Longtrout from Iceland. These are my boys from Longtrout School for Boys." Headmaster Longtrout said proudly.

Manfred gazed at the seven boys. They were all about the same height and four of them have blonde hair while the others have a brownish-blondish colored hair. They looked grim too. Headmaster Longtrout looked at his boys and cleared his throat.

The boys looked at him at the same time as on cue. "YES SIR?!" They yelled.

"Grab your stuff and follow me." The Headmaster said importantly.

"YES SIR!" The boys shouted at the top of their lungs. They bent down to grab their belongings and lined up behind their Headmaster and stiffly walked into Bloor's.

Manfred blinked. "Hey, you forgot to introduce them to me! You didn't even name their endowments!!!" Manfred yelled uncertainly to him.

Headmaster Longtrout acted as if he didn't hear Manfred. He kept walking along the path with his boys following, peeking back at Manfred.

Manfred scowled. "Crazy old man,"

"I HEARD THAT!" Headmaster Longtrout roared.

Manfred jumped and turned around, ready to apologize but the Headmaster of Longtrout School for Boys wasn't yelling at him. He was yelling at his student who had just said, "This school is so horrible."

"I will not let you compliment them about how old, disgusting, foul, retched, revolting, repulsive, nauseating, filthy, sordid, horrible place this is!" Headmaster Longtrout snarled. He looked up to see Manfred glowering at him. He was still standing at the gates but it was quite clear that Manfred heard every single word.

Headmaster Longtrout flushed a deep red and rushed to the doors, hurrying his students in. The boys looked amused and scampered in, laughing.

Headmaster Longtrout lifted his hat and placed it back down on his head and ran in, relieved that Manfred was glued to the spot.

Then another car pulled up. It wasn't a limo like all the others; it was more of a van. Manfred had a VERY strong feeling that it was the Americans. Why you ask? Because, the American flag is at the top of course!

Ten people stepped out, along with their headmaster. The headmaster seemed very young, no more than twenty-five Manfred had assumed.

There were an even number of boys and girls. They all seemed very fond of their headmaster, who was grinning.

"Hey freakshow, what'd you think of this place?" he asked.

A girl, medium height, blonde hair with some gild (golden) streaks, replied, "Looks grim to me. No offense." She added as Manfred grimaced.

"Hey, Mr. Towers, what do you think everyone would say back at home about you and Ms. Alex?" a boy, tall, brown hair and freckles, said laughing.

"Everyone would say, 'Ooooh! I think they went ahead and made out!'" Mr. Towers replied in a mock high pitched voice. He was imitating a girl's voice.

"Normal or extreme?" asked a tall girl. She seemed Hispanic, a lot of make-up, and carries a huge purse, the kind of purse a fancy woman would take to the mall.

"Ewww!" everyone laughed. "Karla, you sick!" a boy said.

Manfred groaned in his head. _Oh no, the worst type of Americans…the SPOILED kind! Well, not all of them are spoiled…some looked normal… _

"Headmaster Towers, what are their names and endowments?" asked Manfred in a false polite voice.

"Ugh, he has a ponytail! What kind of freaking boy has a ponytail?" asked Karla in disgust.

Manfred fumed with anger. He wanted to shout, "I AM NOT A BOY!!!!" but he didn't. He just stood there, looking grim and severe.

Mr. Towers said, "This, of course, is Karla, she can produce sound waves with her mouth…"

"That's why she's very talkative and annoying." a boy with black curls blurted out. He shot Mr. Towers a looked of apology and shrank back into the crowd of boys.

"Shut up Alfredo." Karla snapped, whacking him with her bag.

"Anyway…" Mr. Towers said, ignoring his students whacking around "this is Alfredo; he can produce a force field." And on cue, Alfredo made a green force field to protect himself from the bemused Karla, still trying to attempt to hit him.

"Allanah can go invisible." Allanah, the girl who Mr. Towers jokingly called her 'freakshow' smiled and waved. Her smile wiped off of her face when Alfredo bumped into her. She knocked him off, scolding him.

"Sawyer is a transporter." Sawyer, a short girl whose eyes were grey, her hair was clack and she wore a black and pink choker. Everything else was all black…besides her skin.

"Emo girl!" a boy teased. Sawyer stared at him.

"Oh shut up Tony!"

"This is Tony, his real name is Jose but we call him Tony. He can talk to animals."

Tony is Hispanic also. He's short but so are some of the other boys. He tried to stop Karla from whacking Alfredo but then he cried, "Alfredo, can I come into-OW! Man, she's a killer!"

"Shut up!" Karla yelled, grabbing Tony's hair.

Manfred sighed. "You can tell me later. Just go." Manfred shook his head as Mr. Towers cheerfully strolled into the front lawn with the others stumbling in, laughing, crying fro help, whacking, etc.

"I will never set foot in the United States as long as I live!" Manfred cried as Karla accidentally whacked him on the head.

"Oh shut up ponytail guy." Karla scowled, hanging her purse on her shoulder as a girl, much like Karla but smaller, walked up to her side also carrying a purse.

Manfred despised her but he turned to see another group staring at him with confusion and laughter.


	17. Freedom

Charlie was sitting in the Library, unaware that his great uncle and Mr. Onimous were hunting him down. He was in here, reading a book called, _**How to Get a Girl to Notice You**_.

He was on step number seven. Step number seven had said:

**Step #7. The Letter and Candy Way**

**In order to get a girl's attention and not feel embarrassed, you will need to follow these directions.**

**First, write her a letter, confessing your love. **

**Second, send it with a basket of candy or a box of chocolate. Just don't add your mane on it. Add some hints on who it's from. Example, if she suspects two guys, you and some other dude, add a hint that describes you. Let's say that the dude is a jock. Say that you are NOT a jock!**

**Third, after the letter, send her another, saying that you would like to see her answer.**

**Fourth, if she says yes, grab her to a secret place and snog**

**Fifth, if she says no, then got to a secret place and cry**

Charlie narrowed his eyes on the word, 'snog'. He knew it meant to a French kiss and that isn't what he had in mind. He moved on to Step Eight.

All of the sudden, Paton spotted him and snuck up on Charlie, reading secretly behind his back.

Paton nearly laughed but he held it and shook his head. He slowly reached to tap Charlie on the back but then Mr. Onimous yelled out, "I FOUND HIM!"

Charlie looked up with a jolt and his heart skipped a beat. He dashed from the table, hoping to hide between shelves. Paton apologized to the librarians while he gave Mr. Onimous a little glare.

Mr. Onimous shrugged nervously. "Sorry." He whispered.

Paton shook his head. "It's okay, come one."

Charlie peered through a bookshelf. He ducked when Paton looked his way. He tip toed to another section and waited quietly. He was trying to inch to the door.

Then he turned, face to face with Paton who grinned. "Hello Charlie, haven't seen you in a while."

_**The Secret Room in Bloors…**_

A boy with brown rough hair sat down at a table with Mrs. Johnson, looking glum.

Mrs. Johnson looked at the boy with sadness. "Dear boy, cheer up. She didn't want to go. She would rather be here with you. I'm here though."

The boy scowled. "So? She's gone! You're not my mum. You will never be like her, even though you look like her!"

"Elliot, please relax. Hold on, I have to check on Jessie. I have a feeling she dozed off again like three weeks ago." Mrs. Johnson said, fading away into a shadow.

Elliot looked away, feeling abandoned. It was hard to lose parents. His real parents dies and he lived at the Orphanage for seven years until Miss Gosten took him in. He hadn't even been with her for two years and he had already lost his third parent. Oh the shame!

He was glad he had something to entertain him. He is a shape shifter, the Bloors know this but they kept him a secret so he's like a secret weapon.

(That wig he had on from Love Does Damage, a Lot of Damage story, that wasn't a wig. That was his hair shape-shifted into Billy's hair)

Elliot looked at the table. His breakfast sat there, staring back at him with its cereal eyes. Elliot scooped up some cereal with his metal spoon and slurped it into his mouth.

He began to slurp another spoonful of cereal and cold milk when a loud knock startled him.

He dropped his spoon and answered the door. Mr. Johnson stood there, looking astonished.

"Elliot my dear boy, how are you? Never mind me who had a fright!" Mr. Johnson gasped as he stumbled into the room.

Elliot rolled his eyes. Reverse Psychology. "What happened, Mr. Johnson?"

Mr. Johnson spun around, eyes wide. Elliot groaned. "Another one of his wild stories again." Elliot murmured as he drew a chair for Mr. Johnson who sat down, looking beadily at Elliot.

"There I was, minding my own business spying on…"

"How could you be minding your own business if you're spying on someone?" asked Elliot defensively.

"Shush boy, don't you want to hear it or not?" Mr. Johnson asked impatiently.

"Sorry, sorry." Elliot said. "Please continue."

"Well, I was minding my own business, spying on the white haired boy, Billy. He stayed here so he could see the foreign students arrive. He's nosy, isn't he? Well, I turned my back on him for ONE little second and he ordered a stinky mutt after me a bit my left arm!"

He waved his left arm, which is now wrapped up in bandages, for emphasis.

"Is it a deep cut?" asked Elliot, gazing at the bandages.

"No, it's a deep toilet; YES it'd a deep cut!" Mr. Johnson roared, still waving his arm around.

Elliot sat back, saying no more. "Okay, carry on."

"Well, I yelled for help and Dr. Bloor came up and swatted the dog, making Billy angry so we hurried off to the infirmary in the school and that's where your aunt Leah arrived.

"It was painful but it had to do. I had my arm bandaged." Mr. Johnson said grimly.

Elliot was surprised the story wasn't exaggerated like all the other stories. "Okay…er, I have to go to the bathroom, be right back."

Elliot stood up and strolled out of the room, closing the door gently before running off.

He did NOT want to stick around to hear any more stories…that's for little kids…he thinks.

_**At a Corridor…**_

__Jessie stood there, starving. She rubbed her stomach. Last time, Antonio had brought her food, as he promised. Now, she wished he was there to bring more food to her. She has stood there all day, watching new people come in with such interest. By one p.m, the whole school wasn't deserted anymore; there were at least seventy people in a hall. The place was so crowded; they had to move people to the classrooms and bathrooms. Of course, everyone wondered how they were going to change in private.

Some people went into bathroom stalls and some into closets where their friends guard while they change.

They weren't allowed to be in the gardens for that's where all the headmistress and headmasters set up for the dance. Students sneaked in sometimes but were caught and were sent back, disappointed. No one sneaked far enough to see the gardens, some people tried looking trough the highest windows facing the gardens but they were all covered by an inky surface which would take special liquids to get rid off (the yucky yellow stuff mostly found in lavatories/bathrooms/restrooms)

Mr. Weedon was disgruntled about that idea. He didn't want to clean the windows with his own whiz! That's disgusting and the whole school will smell of his whiz! That would be horrifying.

Jessie searched for Antonio, still hoping for food. She gave up after twenty minutes or so. Then a voice said, "You hungry again?"

Jessie turned and exclaimed, "Antonio! You're back! Yes, I'm hungry! Did you bring anything?"

"Do you like…Boston Cream Pie?" asked Antonio, grinning mischievously.

Jessie gasped as she saw the pie. She had never seen anything that looks so good…besides a cake of course.

"How did you- but I though-how?" Jessie stammered with happiness and shock.

"I sneaked into the kitchens and grabbed it when no one was looking!"

"How'd you pull that off?" asked Jessie, drooling over the yummiest of pie.

"It was easy to blame people; they filled the kitchens with students too!" said Antonio, shrugging as if it was no big deal.

"Gee, I would be caught instantly! How could no one be looking at the pie when there are so many people in there?"

"Well, I just pointed and yelled, "Look, it's Michael Jackson! And they all looked over there and I grabbed the pie."

Jessie tilted her head with confusion. "Who's Michael Jackson?"

"He's an American singer." said Antonio, laughing. "You should hear some of his songs, some are hilarious!"

"Well, enough talking, I really want pie!" said Jessie, grabbing a plate from Antonio's hands and a plastic fork. She sliced the pie with her fork and guided it into her plate. She happily ate it with glee as Antonio watched amused.

"Have you ever eaten pie?"

"No, I have never!"

"You never had pie until now! You're like, what; fifteen and you've never had pie?" Antonio asked miraculously.

"My mom would never let me near pie. She thinks it would give me crazy ideas about running a pie shop instead of taking over the family business."

"What's your family business?"

"Spying and betraying people." said Jessie grimly.

"Oh…" Antonio looked away.

"What is it?" asked Jessie, looking up.

"I don't know… what if you will take over your family business. How do you know you're not?"

"I won't!" Jessie laughed. She stopped when she saw Antonio's serious face. "I know I won't, nothing will change me."

"But what if your mother did?! They could dot that, they bargain with you and then betray you and take over again just to ruin lives!"

Jessie shook her head. "Please, what will my mom give me that I want so badly that I will do anything?"

Antonio looked down and then away from Jessie's face. "Freedom," he replied silently. "She would give you your freedom."


	18. Think About Them

Charlie tried to get free from Paton and Mr. Onimous's grip as they dragged him home. "Let. Go. Of. Me." Charlie gritted between his teeth.

"Not until we go home and lock all the windows and doors." said Paton calmly.

Charlie made an attempt to bite Paton's hands but Paton yanked Charlie's arms so Charlie lost his balance.

"Charlie, you wouldn't really bite me, would you?"

"I would if you let me!" Charlie said furiously.

The Flames followed them, making sure Charlie doesn't go and run off again.

"Hold still and we won't go hard on you." Mr. Onimous said, grabbing Charlie's arms.

Charlie still felt like fighting so he leaped, trying to break free. Paton held Charlie tighter. "I guess I have no choice…Let go Orvil."

Charlie stopped fighting to look at his great uncle with confusion.

"What?" Charlie and Mr. Onimous said, stunned. Paton was letting Charlie go? Why?

"Orvil, just let go. Trust me. I know what I'm doing." Paton said, letting Charlie go.

Mr. Onimous slowly let go and Charlie stood there, hardly believing his eyes.

Charlie slowly backed up. "Okay…I'm going now…" Charlie walked in a normal pace. "I'm leaving now…I'm going to leave…I am going faster…" Charlie walked faster, still facing Paton and a confused Orvil. "I'm going…and there's nothing you can do to stop me…" Charlie was now getting annoyed.

"What's wrong with you people?" Charlie half yelled half asked. No answer.

Charlie shrugged with great difficulty. His family and friend would just let him go like that! That was making Charlie fell unloved. He yelled, "FINE! Have it your way!"

He turned and walked off. But then he was suddenly grabbed from behind and was forced to be in a headlock by his uncle.

"Paton, you are one fast man!" Orvil cried, jogging towards them.

Charlie felt slightly better now that he knew they cared but he was still furious. "UNCLE! You are so going to pay for this twenty years later into the future when I come home from Christmas!!!!"

"Charlie, listen! Think about your friends, your parents, Maisie, don't think about Grandma Bone though, I could live without her…" Paton mumbled "Think about…think about Olivia!"


	19. Nearly Time

Charlie stopped moving so suddenly, Paton nearly tripped over his foot (Charlie's foot, not his, who ever heard of a person tripping over his/her own foot while head locking a picture traveler?).

"Olivia?" Charlie said blankly.

"Yes, Olivia. Olivia Vertigo." Paton said serenely.

Charlie bowed his head and turned, or, tried to turn. "I will go home." he said quietly. He admitted he DID miss his family…besides Grandma Bone and her sisters, which was a different story.

"Good boy. Let's hurry though; I think you would want to have a special dance with a special lady friend." Mr. Onimous said, grinning.

"But there's something I have to tell you guys." Charlie said. "I promised a guy named Miguel-"

"Miguel Remora?" Paton asked in an excited voice. "It's been so long since I've seen him!"

"Yeah…" Charlie said, confused. "How'd you know?"

"We went to school together when we were little kids. He was also invited to my birthday when I found out about my endowment. His parents ran an ice cream shop…how'd you think we got the ice cream?"

"I thought you bought it!" Charlie admitted. "Anyway, I offered to help him deliver the ice cream to Bloor's. May I?"

"After you change and get dressed. You would have to explain yourself but I'm sure your parents would understand. I'm sure Grizelda wouldn't though, she LOVED it when you were gone, but you know her." Paton said, walking Charlie home while Mr. Onimous went in a different direction.

"It's about time I get home Mr. Yewbeam. I'm happy to help. Come on Flames, our work here is done."

The Flames didn't budge. They still gazed after Charlie. Aries had a startled look that made Charlie look back and stop.

"What's wrong?" Charlie asked.

Mr. Onimous kneeled down to Aries and petted him. "I don't know Charlie…I think he's saying that there's something else…something dangerous…"

"We'll have to find out later. Right now it's about 1:45 and we better get home." Paton said, checking his wristwatch on his left arm.

Charlie shrugged. "Bye Flames, I might see you soon at the dance if you'll make it."

The Flames still didn't move…except their eyes moved. The eyes darted that way and this way, searching the street and sky. Charlie kept walking, wondering what will happen next…

_**At Bloor's…**_

__Elliot zigzagged around people, sometimes treading on someone's foot accidentally. He was bored and he wanted to see some action. He looked around. No one seemed to look in his direction…except Antonio Remora.

Elliot didn't notice him and he shifted in to a figure of another shape of a boy. No, not a boy, a man. But who?

Antonio watched with horror as Elliot took shape as Dr. Bloor, smiling ebilly down at the students, who looked up with surprise.

"Hello my guests. I see that it's nearly two. Are you all crowded and bored?"

There was a murmur of yeses and some nods.

"Well, have I had a treat for you! There's a secret room in here and whoever finds it gets to be crowed King or Queen of the Dance! What do you say, huh?"

No one moved, they all just went back to talking, not interested at the prize. Elliot sighed. "All right, and also they would get $5000 also. NOW GET MOVING!"

At that, everyone hustled around, jostling and yelling with excitement. Some searched in groups, some went to tell others, some went alone, although they can't really be alone at all, it's too crammed full.

Elliot sighed and grinned. He slipped into a corner and changed back into his normal old self again.

Antonio slipped off, wanting to run to Cook. She'll know what to do.

Antonio opened the door to the kitchens but they were stuck. He pushed harder and heard plenty of people on the other side yelling, "OW! This is so full, when are we going to get out? Someone hit me in the head with the door!"

Antonio slipped through the little creak and pushed his way through. He looked around thoroughly and went into a closet. He was glad no one was in there and he reached to feel around the back of the closet. He felt a little knob and pulled. The door opened and there was a dim passageway. "At last, space!"

He crept in and closed the door. He followed the light to Cook's apartment. He saw her, sitting at a table talking to Blessed about tails.

"No Blessed, you can't bite off your tail even if it does get in the way." Cook was saying sternly to the dog.

Blessed whimpered.

"Sorry but it would hurt you more than it will hurt me." Cook said, patting Blessed on the head.

"Cook?" asked Antonio.

Cook looked up, startled. But then she sighed and beckoned him to come in and make himself at home. He sat down beside her and told her about Elliot.

"What do you think he's up to?"

"I have a bad feeling about this. My instinct tells me that he's trying to get everyone's attention to the secret room. It could be mine or the other one."

"What other one?"

"I will tell you when the time is right. He's drawing attention away from the thing he's doing. I say follow him and find out what he's up to, but be _careful_!" Cook warned him.

Antonio nodded, standing back up. He turned away but then an idea hit him. He turned back to Cook and asked, "Cook, can a person change their minds about something when they're older?"

"What kind of something?"

"A big thing, something that affects their childhood."

"Well, I need to know what it is, literally."

"There's this one person and they are being used by his slash her parents and she swears she would never be like them. Is it possible that she will if his slash her parents gave them freedom?" asked Antonio, careful not to directly mention Jessie Johnson.

Cook said thoughtfully, "Well…it is possible…it may not be possible either. Is this a person you know?"

"Um…what would you say if I said yes?"

"Sit down, love. I think this person, whoever they are, should decide for themselves. You can not change who they are, that is up to the support he or her gets and his or her control. You can indeed help..." Cook leaned forward to whisper in to Antonio's ear, "But you can never change who they are inside. They are them, and you are you. That will never change."

Antonio sighed. Why do wise people always talk in riddles???

"I know but I want him or her on the right path!"

"Ah. Are you thinking about yourself or the person?"

"Well, everyone!"

"Does everyone think that?"

"Well, not everyone…" Antonio muttered.

"So there are two choices left, you and the person."

"Cook, you're making this harder than it needs to be." Antonio said, raising his eyebrow.

"Listen Antonio; is this about your needs or Jessie's need?"

"How do you know it was Jessie?" asked Antonio, surprised.

"I didn't, I had a feeling it was though." Cook said slyly.

Antonio opened his mouth to argue but then he closed it and threw his hands up. "You caught me, I'm through."

Cook chuckled. "Well now you have to keep an eye on her carefully. Now go and get ready! I'm in here for my break. I better get back to work, a lot of recipes to make you know!"

They left the apartment and opened the closet for a peek. They had to wait a couple of minutes because a tall lanky boy was standing right in front of the door, talking to a couple of friends.

When they moved to join another group of friends, they snuck out and walked normally as if they were there all along.

"Good luck," Cook muttered to Antonio who nodded quickly and left the kitchens and into the cafeteria.

_**At Ingledew's…**_

__Emma and Olivia went ahead to jump into their dresses so they will feel utterly comfortable in them. They wanted to get use of it so they won't have to complain at the dance. Olivia marveled the way Emma perfectly made the dream dress Olivia had imagined. It was the exact same replica!

Olivia couldn't help but saying 'Thank you!' so many times.

"It's no big deal Livvy, it takes a bit of patience and math but it's really no big deal." Emma said, twirling around in the bookstore while she got many interested looks from some boys about her age.

"No, she's not single." Olivia said to the boys. They felt a bit dispirited and they went back to looking at the books.

Emma laughed as Olivia tried to fly. "Man, I was hoping to fly since all of these fuzzy things are like feathers! Oooh! Emma, do you think you have time to make a shawl for me?"

Emma looked at the clock. It read, 2:57 p.m.

"Maybe…come on, let's go see."

The two girls rushed through the backroom and up the stairs two at a time.

Emma dumped herself into her chair and picked up her pencil. "What do you want it to look like?"

"Just a red see through shawl with black beads hanging from the bottom part." Olivia said excitedly.

"We have everything we need here! Just give me half an hour or so…"

Emma set to work. She grabbed the extra red cloth and used her scissors to scrape off some treads. It took so long, Olivia had to help. By 3:25 p.m., the shawl was sturdy and nearly transparent. Emma grabbed black beads and a long piece of black tread and sewed it onto the red cloth. The tread was doubled back so there were two strands of tread to support the beads. Before she sewed the last to ends on, she and Olivia slipped on the beads, carefully picking the pattern and making sure it matched the regular pattern. But 4:10, it was done and ready to be worn.

Olivia tried it on and she gasped. "Oh, it's so stunning! Too bad we didn't have time to make you one."

Emma shook her head. "I didn't want one. Come on, we have some time left, you want to go over to Charlie's house quickly?"

Olivia looked forlorn so Emma quickly added, "Don't worry, he's back! Auntie just got off the phone with Mr. Yewbeam and he said that Charlie accepted to come back home! He's not missing anymore! It's not so long, not even-"

"Let's go!" Olivia interrupted, grabbing Emma's wrist and dragging her to the door. Emma laughed and she ran down the stairs with Olivia.

They rushed out the door, waving good bye to Julia who nodded happily at them as she pulled out a thick brown book for a woman.

As they walked up to Charlie's house, Charlie saw them coming and his eye lit up as he saw Olivia in the new dress she wore.

"She looks so stunning!" Charlie breathed.

Charlie hastily ran to the door and yanked it open. Olivia and Emma smiled at him, glad that he was home.

"You guys look great!"

"Thanks! What about your suit? Aren't you going? You have to go to the dance!" Olivia said.

"I don't know if Mom and Dad will let me." Charlie said sadly.

"WHAT? But you have to or else you'll get instant death!" Olivia said worriedly.

Charlie and Emma stared at her. "What?" Charlie didn't have a clue what Olivia was talking about.

Olivia rushed the whole story out and she could show Charlie the book when they get to Bloor's.

Charlie told his parents and they told Paton who told Julia who looked it up on the internet and sent an e-mail to Paton who told Charlie's parents who told Charlie, "YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE DANCE SO HURRY UP AND GET YOURSELF IN A SUIT AND SPRAY SOME COLOGNE ON YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Charlie who was happy with glee sprinted up the stairs while the girls came in and Maisie gave them some cookies. "Thank you!" the girls chorused while Maisie smiled pleasantly.

Later, at the time of 4:36 p.m., Charlie and the girls made their way to the school with Paton. They went into his car and waited for Mr. Yewbeam to come in. They waited and waited but he was still at the steps, talking to Mr. Bone and Mrs. Bone.

Charlie sighed. "Parents…and aunts and uncles…they take too long."

Olivia nodded. "I know, one time, my mom was applying her make-up and it took her two hours! I was telling her that was so long, it only took me ONE hour to do mine!"

Charlie and Emma looked at Olivia with a raised eyebrow. "What? Don't tell me that make-up only takes two or three minutes to apply; it is longer than that people. Emma knows that since we already did our make-up."

"Yes but that was because…"

"Hey, Miss Ingledew is here too! When did she come? Why is she wearing a dress? Why are Charlie's parents wearing a formal uniform? WHY IS MR. YEWBEAM WEARING A FORMAL CLOTHIG???" Olivia asked panicky. She didn't like it when there were chaperones…especially when they think that the kids can't take care of themselves even though they're like 13.

"Maybe they want to look good." Charlie said in a nervous voice. He didn't want his mother to take pictures…that would ruin him…big time.

"Please don't come…" Olivia murmured, looking at the group of adults.

It turned out that they were just going to drop the three at Bloor's and then go to a new fancy restaurant on 29th street down by Familia Road.

"Bye, have fun!" Mr. Bone called, waving as they got off. Olivia and Charlie grinned and they walked in. Emma stayed on the sidewalk until the car was out of sight. She turned and looked at the crowd. It was nearly time, seven more minutes left! Oh the excitement!

"Emma…wow! You look…you look beautiful!" Tancred said, surprising Emma from behind. Emma blushed and looked down.

Tancred smiled. Lysander and Lauren walked past them, giving Tancred an encouraging smile.

"Would you care to go to the dance with me?" asked Tancred, holding out his arm for Emma to take.

Emma looked up at his face, smiling shyly. "I will." She linked her arm with Tancred's and they walked arm in arm through the gates of Bloor's, ready to dance.


	20. Hatching an Idea

Aldric, Calogero, and Azura were all huddled together in Manfred's Study where it's roomy and warm. "I wonder what ze surprise is." Azura said with a tiny hint of a French accent. "It better be good or else I will think we came here for nothing!"

Calogero shrugged. "Relax Azura, the man with ze ponytail said zat we will be most pleased."

Aldric sniffed. "I sense zat he likes to destroy good children's dream! I sensed zat his worst nightmare would be good children's dream coming true! I was most disgusted!"

Azura shook her head. "I don't know Aldric, he zeems to be a nice person, although 'e iz a bit…uh…how do you say…the least majestic person on ze Earth." Azura said, straining her mind for English words.

"An 'orrible person, no doubt Azura, we all know zat!" Calogero said coolly.

"I was looking for a more professional word Calogero!" Azura snapped impatiently. "Besides, ze man said zat we must be ready for ze big surprise. He said it is to be so big, we shall be stuttering I presume."

Manfred walked into the office, looking terribly weary. "Excuse my looks but I am so busy! More people are coming endlessly so my father had to take over while I rest! My last groups were Russians! Anyway…the surprise will be here any minute."

"What is ze surprise? asked Aldric, raising his eyebrow.

Manfred smiled. "The surprise is to be kept secret. Do you understand?"

"I am not _stupid_ Monsieur Bloor." Aldric said curtly.

Manfred coughed and said, "Yes, yes, please for give me. I'm so tired I hardly know what I'm saying. Forgive me please."

Aldric thought, _I shall never forgive a person who likes to ruin people's dreams! _Aldric did say, "I shall forgive you." He didn't want Manfred to think he was on to him…which he isn't…yet.

Manfred sighed with relief. "Now, I hope you are all warm by the fire, are you not?"

"It iz too hot in here Mister." Calogero said politely, waving his hand as a fan.

Manfred opened the windows and put out the fire in the fireplace. It was much better now…although it was much lighter.

Azura took off her jacket and looked at her brothers as they did the same. They handed over the jackets and Azura placed them on the coat hanger.

"So shall I see your endowment to see if the man was not lying?" asked Manfred.

They all stared but then sighed. "Of course you may." Calogero sighed.

Calogero was first since he was the youngest at age 11. So Manfred was right.

Calogero stared into Manfred's eyes and concentrated. Manfred felt a little dizzy. He staggered to the right and then the left and collapsed to the floor, wondering where he was and why he couldn't control himself. His arms and legs felt heavy and he couldn't think straight. He felt as if he was nodding off.

Calogero lifted the enchantment and Manfred quickly got up, shaking his head. "That was amazing!" Manfred exclaimed. In his mind, he thought, _He could be useful as well…_

Aldric came next as he was 12. He already sensed Manfred's nightmare and he thought hard…very hard. Manfred blinked once and suddenly, as he opened his eyes again, there was a girl, about five in a yellow dress and light brown braided hair jumping up and down happily.

The girl was saying, "I always wanted a yellow dress! Now I have one! Mother and Father said I couldn't but I have one because we live in poverty. But now my parents won the lottery! I'm rich!"

Manfred flinched but he didn't scream. Then the girl changed to a man in rags. He was surprised to see himself in there too. The man said, "Please sir, will you give me a house, a car, a family, clothes, food, money, and everything you own?"

Manfred saw himself nod happily, giving over the deed to Bloor's Academy, the car dealership, tons of money, clothes, family, and much more.

Manfred stumbled back. He couldn't take it. The image then changed to a boy, closing in on Manfred, holding out his little filthy hands, crying. "Will you help me? Please?"

The boy continued to close in. He got more ugly and hideous then before. Manfred kept walking backwards until maggots and worms came out of the boy's eyes. Then his eyeballs dropped out to reveal empty eye sockets. The boy was still saying, "Help me! Help me!"

Manfred closed his eyes, wanting it to go away but even with his eyes are closed, the image still burned in his eyes.

"ALDRIC!" A voice snapped him out and there was no boy with maggots and empty eyes. Azura was glaring hotly at her little brother, who grinned.

"That's enough!" Calogero joined in. "You can not see zat you are scaring 'im?"

"Alright, I will let go." Aldric shrugged and returned to his seat. Manfred shakily sat down at his seat. He thought he could never unsee the image ever again. It will stick there like glue.

"Y-your t-t-turn…" Manfred stuttered.

Azura took a deep breath and waved her arms in an 'x' formation and green fire streaked out of the tips of her two fingers that were out, her index and middle.

She kept doing that and then with such force she directed the flames to the opened window and the green fire shot out and fizzled after a while. She then started to do the same formation but something different happened.

Instead of green fire, blue whitish lightning formed and were crackling madly. She pointed them to the window again and they shot out. Manfred thought he could smell something burning when the lightning speeded past him. Manfred was impressed, but jealous. He had just developed the power and he can't even make a single flame!

Aldric sniggered. "Azura, Calogero! He can't even make a single-"

"Well, nice meeting you but I have to go, bye bye now, take care, I will see all of you at the dance…um…I have to meet Zelda, she's a friend who is coming and I want to greet her, bye."

As Manfred left, Aldric sneered, "He has a new nightmare. He doesn't like it when someone younger than him does something better than him…he has the same power you have Azura!"

Azura raised her eyebrows. "Well, we better get out, I don't like ze looks of zis place. It's too…spacy!"

Then exited and the halls were much more crowded. "Much better!" Aldric sighed, not minding that he was pushed over by a woman hurrying outside to help with the dance.

"What time iz it?" asked Calogero.

Azura shrugged. Aldric looked at his watch. "5:01. Only 29 more minutes…I wonder 'ow many girls would like to dance with me!"

He looked at a nearby girl who had been listening with hope. The girl was African and she looked quizzically at him. She seemed to be weighing the odds.

"Nah," She walked off, leaving Aldric yelling.

"You know you want me!"

"Aldric, that's know way to talk to a girl!" Azura snapped coldly.

"So what? It gets ze girls laughing, does it not?"

Alfredo (from Mr. Tower's class) looked around, looking amused. "Don't listen to your sister man, she knows nothing!"

Azura glared at him. Alfredo shrugged. "Hey, but Karla and Emily are way more retarded than you are so take that as a compliment."

"I shall not." Azura muttered.

"Ahh….so I've got myself a French girl. Ooh la la!" Alfredo joked.

"Ewww, Fredo you nasty!" said an African American boy behind him, punching Alfredo in the back.

"I'm not as nasty as you are, Anthony!"

"Oh shut up, you freaking retard!"

The French siblings had no idea what they were meaning but Aldric liked the talk. "You guys go and I shall stay with them…I like their style."

"Ooh! You hear that? He likes _my_ style!" Alfredo said as more boys joined up.

"No, he like's MY style!" Tony said, shoving Alfredo.

"Hey, hey, hey! WATCH. THE SHOES!" Alfredo said, irritated,

Azura and Calogero left them arguing about so little things with fun and amusement.

"Aldric is very annoying, is he not?" muttered Calogero.

"He is…he is also a dope."

"But he's our dope." The siblings both sighed together. They grinned. "Yes, he is our dope."

_**The Gates…**_

__Tancred and Emma stood linked with arms, looking over people to see what the holdup was.

They got tired of looking and started looking at each other's clothing.

"Tancred, you look splendid!" Emma said, admiring the outfit.

"You look breathtaking." Tancred said, gazing into Emma's eyes.

Charlie and Olivia were in front of them. "Charlie, I thought you needed to help a guy named Miguel!" Olivia said.

Charlie's face fell. "How'd you know? No, later, I have to go!"

Charlie squeezed his way out and out to the sidewalks. People were arriving still and Charlie had to dodge them. He found Miguel unloading the truck of ice cream. "There you are!" Charlie said.

Miguel gave him a confused look. Charlie looked at him with a worried look. Did he suffer from amnesia?

"Miguel?"

Miguel shook his head vigorously.

Charlie raised his eyebrow. "What?"

"Did you forget he does not speak English?" asked a voice.

Charlie looked around to see Maria Remora, Miguel's wife, standing there with a small smile.

"Sorry,"

"It's okay. Miguel told me that you are a friend of Antonio's and he said that you wanted to help. You are Charlie, right?"

"Yes," Charlie said nervously. Drama isn't a good thing for Charlie…he already had to do it TWICE at least…or more. I can't keep count when I'm making this story up so don't blame me…blame the author. Oh yeah…I AM the author…BLAME MY LAWYER! Okay, so where am I? Oh yeah!

Then something hit him. How does Miguel know that he's Charlie? Duh! Uncle Paton…go figure!

Charlie helped carried the boxes of ice cream with Miguel to the gardens. Charlie was pleased to see the Gardens looking much fancier than usual.

The grass was covered with confetti to make the grass look flashy. Trees were planted and colorful lanterns hung from them. There were streamers and banners and tables with food from EVERY SINGLE COUNTRY!

"Wow!" Charlie exclaimed. "This is amazing!"

Miguel looked around and said, "Yes, it is, isn't it? I knew from the start you were Charlie Bone. You look a bit like you great uncle…also…I'm a mind clairvoyant."

Charlie aped at Mr. Remora. "No, for real? I though there were so little endowed people I know but now I feel like I know way too many that lives here!"

"You will meet many more at the Dance. Not only are other students that are not endowed from Bloor's are coming, out also the President."

"Of the United States? You mean…the new one?"

"Yes."

"How did the Bloor's pull that off?"

"His daughter is endowed."

"More endowed? At first I thought they were rare…but now I'm thinking that it's natural and everyone has at least one endowed person in their family!"

"Well…"

Charlie groaned. "Please don't answer that." They put the boxes of frozen cream on a table and unpacked it. There was strawberry, vanilla, chocolate, vanilla swirl, rocky road, cherry, chocolate dipped, chocolate vanilla, French vanilla, Lemon Sherbet, Lime Sherbet, Cherry Limeade Sherbet, Cherry Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Fudge Sundae, Fudge Ripple, Cookies n' Cream, Butter Brickle, Mint Chocolate Chip, White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake, and more!

Charlie's stomach growled. "I can't wait! Are the food free?"

"Yep. If it costs money, there would be confusion and that would be bad."

"True, very true."

Charlie set his empty box down under the table and he spotted firecrackers. Charlie let off a grin… What in the world is he thinking of doing next???


	21. The Dance Part One

Charlie heard Miguel speaking Spanish to Maria and he got up, stretching his arms. "I better go now, tell Mr. Remora I say hi, will you?" Charlie said to Maria Remora.

"Yes, thank you Charlie Bone." Maria nodded.

Charlie left, aware that Maria and Miguel had no idea what Charlie had up in his sleeves…

_**In Bloor's…**_

__Antonio ran, not even wanting to lose sight of Elliot. It was tricky, all of the people clutched up in their formal clothing and girls being all weird saying, "Ah! Look at my dress! Isn't it pretty?" or "Look what you've done to my bracelet!"

Antonio kept on going. He ran but he stopped when he saw Jessie. She was clutched fiercely by her mother. Mrs. Johnson was red with anger. Jessie was held by the collar. She was gasping for breath.

"You…you ate…and I haven't fed you breakfast and lunch…where did you get the food?" Mrs. Johnson snarled. To me, it's a stupid thing to be choked for. For Mrs. Leah Johnson, nothing is too stupid to be choked or choking someone.

Jessie was now turning a bit blue. "I-I didn't!" she gasped, making a choking sound.

"Liar!" Mrs. Johnson grabbed Jessie's collar and picked her up with a hand. Jessie seemed so light and so helpless. Antonio was burning with fury.

Then he realized he let Elliot go. "THREE MORE MINUTES!" Manfred roared over the crowd from the stairs. Everyone roared with happiness.

Antonio was about to go off again but he couldn't help but look back at Jessie.

Jessie was on the floor, crying. Mrs. Johnson looked at her with disgust. "Look at yourself! You're not even worth being born!"

Jessie cried even harder. People were now looking their way, looking at Jessie with pity and Mrs. Johnson with a mean look.

"Why are you even hurting her?" a girl, about sixteen, asked snottily.

"None of your business!" Leah snapped.

"Well!" The girl sniffed, looking away.

Jessie took the chance to crawl off before she would get injured even more. Mrs. Johnson looked back and saw her gone.

Jessie was glad there were so many people. She could escape easily but now…where would she go? If she went back that would be risky and dangerous.

"Jessie!"

Jessie looked around with alarm but a look of relief took over.

"Antonio! What are you doing here?"

"Jessie, you're hurt! Look at yourself! And…is that…is that blood?"

Jessie and Antonio looked down at Jessie's arm which looked like it has been cut opened. Blood gushed out and Jessie flinched, clearly she didn't want to be touched. "Here, I'll get you to Cook; she'll know what to do." Antonio helped her limp to Cook's apartment. _There's no way I can catch Elliot now. _He thought bitterly.

People tried to give them space because they didn't blood ruining their clothes. So it was rather easy.

When they got through to the kitchens, Cook was standing on a table, yelling, "Esther, we need three bowls of flour! Mac, where is that pan of muffins? Julie, no, it will have to go in the trash! Oh hi there!" Cook said cheerfully when Antonio reached her but then she gasped when she saw Jessie, tears still leaking out of her eyes.

"Oh my dear, what ever happened?"

"It's a long story…can we come into your place?"

"Yes, yes of course. Harriet, you take charge!" Cook climbed down from the table and looked around. People were still looking their way so Cook said, "Look! Money!"

It turns out that humans are very idiotic sometimes. Everyone (including the cooks) looked in that way hopefully.

Cook rushed the two into a closet and pulled a small knob at the very back. They went down a small narrow rocky hall to Cook's dwelling.

Jessie moaned softly, renewed tears trickled out. Cook grabbed a huge bag from underneath a table and rummaged through. "What happened?"

"Her mom injured her when she did something wrong." Antonio said guiltily. It was his fault…he had given her food and now she's hurt.

_**Outside…**_

__Manfred looked around, seeming quite pleased. The dance is about to begin and soon enough the tradition will be saved…or will it?

"What time is it?" asked Dr. Bloor. He was wearing a white suit and was carrying a rose in his pocket.

Manfred checked his watch. "5:29, almost time."

He kept watching his watch, eagerly waiting. Then the watch stopped exactly five seconds before the minute hand went to 30.

"Come on!" Manfred growled at his watch.

"Why could we not go on now? It is time." asked a headmaster beside Manfred, giving him a very annoyed look.

"The watch is special! Once the minute hand goes to the 30, it activates the traditional bells!" Manfred said frantically.

He banged the watch over and over on the table besides him. The headmaster sniffed. "Looks like the special watch is getting the special treatment…"

Then the watch started, looking wearily at Manfred with its huge watch hands.

Then all of the sudden, huge sounds of bells and chimes rang, making everyone's spine tingle and vibrate. People placed their hands over their ears to block the sound out but science went ahead and made sound waves able to pass through solids and squeezed through closed gaps…why science, why???

That was the exact though Charlie had just thought. The bells than stopped and the in a loud clear voice, "The following students will be needed at the prize dance table…Charley Swinn, Lyla, Shayera Callahan, Cystal Field, Nicole Hilker, Sydney Lee, Janel Ponce, Yen Shen, Helissa Eve, Aurora Dawn, and Cheyenne Stephens!"

The loud voice repeated everything again. Charlie felt his heart drop…he wanted a prize…

The students who made their way to the table must be all of the people… So far, to what Charlie saw, was that the other Charley came from England also.

Charley wore a black a short black dress (a little bit above her knees), a strapless dress to mention, neon pink tights, with pumps. Her blonde hair was down to her shoulders and was straight. She seemed very pleased that the mysterious voice picked her to be one of the winners. Who can blame her for being happy? No one could be blaming her…except maybe some but who cares? Surely she didn't.

Lyla was around, oh say… 175 cm (5'9") and she had a reddish auburn hair color, few inches below her shoulder, her green eyes excitedly scanned the prize table. Her dress was a great blue color, like the ocean. It has a halter-like top with a golden metal ring holding the cloth up. Her dress ran down to her ankles with a few ruffles around the edges. She wore a dark blue bangle and some blue high heeled shoes. Charlie had heard her talk and she was from America.

Shayera however has a strange aura to her personality; she seemed so beautiful it was a bit weird that she was actually human. Her outfit was complete with a form fitting bodice with a Greek-like top with the strap on her right side. It was snuggly fitted on until it hit her waist, there; it flowed gracefully in the wind. She wore a silver arm bracelet like the one Goddesses wear in Ancient Greek myths. Charlie thought she had come from Greece but he never really knew…all he knew was that Manfred was eyeing her with a tinge of admiration in his eye. _Oh brother! _Charlie thought, grinning. _Manfred had gotten into himself again…_

Then there was a girl that looked thirteen named Chystal. Charlie had no idea what he what think; she has a name Mrs. Tilpin had used to hide her identity. Even so, he had no idea if she was good or evil. She was a very cheery person by the look on her face, it tells it in her eyes, her hazel eyes. Her height you ask? About 5'3"…Her long hair grew to her waist. Her hair was a light brown, quite straight too. She wore a red dress. The straps were like spaghetti straps and the dress went to her ankles. There was a dark pink ribbon tied around her waist and an elegant bow rested in the center of her lower back.

Nicole was 5'6" and has a dark brown hair color with blonde streaks. Her dress was black and white with stripes. There was a black choker on her neck and a neat little diamond was set as her pendant. Her black flats made no sound as she walked to the table, picking things up and then back down to look at another.

Sydney was just three inches shorter than Nicole. She had blonde hair with a bright pink dress with a lime green band at her waist. On her three inch strap at her right shoulder laid a lime green flower. The dress swished around her knees as she laughed at her friend's joke. Her shoes were pumps, dark pink pumps.

Janel looked either Hispanic or Mexican but Charlie was sure she was Mexican. Her light brown hair was tied in a bun with a few curls coming down. She wore a bright red and pink dress with zigzags on it. The colors were beautifully mixed around her torso and they all became separate at the bottom. She wore a shawl that was like Olivia's, but pink. She wore red flats.

Yen was Asian and she wore a stunning robe. It was one of those Vietnamese robes. She wore a white silky pant and a light blue robe with flaps in front and in the back. The flaps' started at the waist while the beautiful thread made pictures of flowers on the front. She was 6'3" and her long black hair was down but a part of it was in a medium sized bum with two blue sticks coming out. Those must be the pins. Yen had blue silky flats…those must feel good to wear.

Helissa, Charlie knew, came from Africa. Her short black hair was combed back and into a curly ponytail. She wore a dark purple dress. Her dress has only one strap and it came to her left. The rest of the torso was a nice fit. The dress came to her knees and her shoes were gleaming purple high heels. She looked to be 5'8" and her brown eyes were wide with amazement.

Aurora came from Russia it seemed. Her dress was white, it was strapless and it sparkled. It came to her ankles and a faux wrap was comfortably around her shoulders and chest. Aurora's blonde hair was down and wavy. She has white flats (flats seems very famous at this dance) with sparkles. 6'2" she looked. Her hazel eyes seemed weary at all of the travel and movements but the lit up when she saw a package of hair care products as one of the prizes. Guess what she picked…

Cheyenne was a very tall girl. Her short brown hair was curled and she wore a yellow dress with spaghetti strap-like straps. The dress, down to her knees, she wore silver high heels and a necklace with a silver heart. Charlie would have to say she was 6'8" or something.

Charlie looked at Olivia with an envious look. "I just figured something out." he said.

Olivia looked at him with a puzzled look. "What is it?"

"The winners are all girls!"

"Really Charlie, you just now noticed? You're so close-minded." Olivia said giggling.

"That's how I am," Charlie replied innocently "oh, and Olivia?" He asked just when the music started.

Olivia and Charlie walked out into the dance floor. Charlie felt like an idiot but everyone else was awkwardly dancing too so why not? Charlie placed his hands on Olivia's waist and her shoulder as Olivia threw both her arms over Charlie's shoulders.

"Yes?" Olivia murmured.

"I have a little surprise for you but it will have to wait." Charlie said, smiling.

He looked around. Lysander and Lauren were slowly swaying back and forth but they do move with their feet a few times.

He looked the other way and saw Tancred and Emma. Emma had laid her head on Tancred's chest, closing her eyes as she followed Tancred's lead. Tancred gave Charlie a quick thumbs-up and returned to his dance.

Charlie smiled and looked around some more. It was getting crowded but then there was a yell and everyone stopped dancing awkwardly as they turned their heads to look in a direction.

Aldric, Alfredo, Tony, Karla, Emily, Anthony, and Mr. Towers were standing in a huddled group.

"No, get away from me!" Karla was yelling as she brought her bag with her. Charlie suspected it was filled with make-up. She was wearing make-up when she got here, same with Emily.

"It's a dance so you dance!" Alfredo said innocently.

"So what, you all go dance, I'm getting something to eat." Karla scowled as she walked off with Emily. Emily glared at the boys as they laughed their heads off.

"Oh shut up you guys, that is so not right. You all should be dancing with some other people! Ugh!" She walked off, grossed out.

Manfred saw Jessie Johnson in the gardens, talking and smiling with another boy. "I thought she was on guard duty." Manfred snarled softly as he made his way.

Then he saw Shayera looking around for a dance partner. This was his big break! Manfred rushed off to the school, looking for a pair of scissors and a whole lot of transparent duct tape…

Jessie was laughing at the interruption. Antonio was grinning. He was happy to know that Jessie was on her feet again. "I'm hungry; do you want some ice cream?"

Jessie nodded eagerly. "I want rocky road please!"

Antonio nodded and set off to the ice cream stand. He saw his mother and father there and said to his mother, "Two rocky roads, mama."

Mrs. Remora nodded and grabbed a spoon to scoop out some ice cream and into bowls. Mr. Remora seized two spoons and dug them into the ice cream, smiling at his son. "Hola miho."

"Hola papi!" Antonio greeted, taking the bowls of sugary goodness. "Hasta Luegos papi!"

Miguel looked slightly confused but he quickly hid it and smiled. "Adios."

Antonio disappeared into the crowd as Miguel thought, _I wonder why he needed two…maybe he went to get himself a lady friend! _

Jessie was enthusiastic about the sugary goodness and swallowed a chunk of it and shivered. "This is amazing! I wish my mother would give me ice cream. I would like that very much."

Antonio gave Jessie a weary smile. "You just have to hold on three more years…right? You are fifteen…"

"Yeah… What about you?"

"Same as you,"

"Really? Wow…yeah…three more years until I'm free…I hope I make it that long." Jessie joked.

"I'm sure you will, you got past fifteen years, you can do three more." Antonio said, getting a spoonful of ice cream.

Then a boy bumped into them. Luckily, no ice cream was sacrificed.

"Sorry," Billy said, looking down.

"It's okay." Jessie said automatically. Antonio smiled at Billy.

"No problem, at least my ice cream didn't die…then I would be saying, 'Poor ice cream…'"

Billy laughed. "Yeah…well, nice meeting you."

"Yeah, you too little guy." Antonio answered.

Billy dashed off, looking for Dannielle, who was right behind him. She giggled. It was fun spying on someone who was looking for you.

Dannielle peeked around and tried her best not to lose Billy. She went a bit too risky and snuck up right behind him. Billy sighed and turned around, jumping back when he saw a face about an inch away from his.

"Dannielle?" Billy asked in a miraculous voice after he had recovered.

"The very same!" Dannielle replied happily. They hugged and let go. "I missed you! Where's Emma and the others? I've been dying to find them!"

Billy looked around. "I don't know," he admitted "maybe we can go look for them."

They set off on their expedition as Manfred snuck back in with his hair cut. He was looking for Shayera, hoping to ask her out.

Fifteen minutes past and he still couldn't find her. He may never see her face again…Manfred turned, heartbroken but then something caught his eye.

"Shayera!" Manfred blurted out.

The girl looked around at Manfred and smiled. "Er…did I say that outloud?" Manfred asked nervously.

Shayera smiled. "I'm pretty sure you have." Her voice was like a purr. "What is that you have on your face?"

Manfred reached up to his 'sideburns'. The truth was that he cut off his ponytail and used that hair and taped transparent duct tape on it to his face. He was hoping she didn't notice.

"Oh, it's just some gloss I put on my sideburns. You like them?"

Shayera was silent for a moment. "Um…what would you say if I said no?"

Manfred's shoulder's drooped. "I don't know…well uh…will you care to…um…"

"SHAYERA! Oh, there you are! Look, they have egg rolls! Come one! They're on the other side! They have the spicy dip too!" a girl said wearing a black dress as she pulled Shayera towards the egg rolls. Manfred stood there, unable to react. He was so disappointed.

Charlie who was dancing by him said, "Tough luck Man-sir."

"Drop it." Manfred said sourly.

"Drop what?"

"Don't act stupid Bone, you know what I mean."

"You know I can set you up with her. Olivia would help too! But for one condition…"

Manfred turned eagerly. He would do ANYTHING to get a date with Shayera. "What is the condition?"

"You will have to un-expel me." Charlie said promptly.

Manfred froze. He had forgotten that Charlie was expelled. His mind was wondering about the love of his life. "How about I give you a jacket,"

"Nope, me in school or you in heart mayhem. Your pick." Charlie said simply as he and Olivia waltz away.

"Okay, okay, you're back in! Just help me!" Manfred whined.

"Okay, come on Livvy, I can't believe I'm saying this but…Let's help Manfred out!" Charlie said.

_**An Hour Later…**_

__Manfred was dressed his best suit (a regular black tuxedo) and his hair was combed back and his silly taped sideburns were took off (with disgust) and Charlie made cards he liked to call 'Chick Magnet Cards'. Olivia and Manfred laughed at that idea but Charlie thought it was great. Manfred read some and he had to admit he had some pretty good ideas.

"Okay, spray a bit of cologne over here…great now under his armpits." Charlie directed.

"My armpits?" Manfred said weakly.

"His _armpits_?" Olivia asked wearily.

"No, his bananas, YES his armpits!" Charlie said. He couldn't coax Olivia to do it so he had to do all the dirty (and smelly) work.

"One last thing to spray but I don't think Olivia or I would like to spray it…" Charlie said, laughing.

"What? Where?" Manfred demanded. He had a bitter feeling it was there…

"Olivia, would you?"

Olivia shrugged. "I have no idea where Charlie."

Charlie showed Olivia the list and she exclaimed, "OH DEAR LORD NO! Charlie, how do you know his um…that part of his body smells? You haven't actually bent down and sniffed it have you?" asked Olivia, laughing until tears ran out.

"NO! OH Olivia, no! Judging by the things he ate, I say yeah! Girls are picky s don't forget that!"

"WHAT?" Manfred demanded.

"Your…uh…your…rear end…" Charlie said softly. He and Olivia paused and then they burst out laughing.

Manfred didn't catch that. "My what now?" He had a very strong feeling it was his…you know…thing. NO, not THE thing, the OTHER thing, that is less gross.

"Your rear!" Olivia shouted. She busted into fits of giggles as Manfred turned red.

"MY REAR DOES NOT SMELL!"

"How do you know that? You haven't sniffed it, have you?" asked Charlie, struggling to not to laugh.

"I just know!" Manfred bellowed. He was now rethinking about the whole 'getting-Charlie-Bone-back-in-to-school' plan. It was stupid of him to agree but his heart burns for Shayera apparently so he had no choice. It was either getting annoyed and getting heartbroken…I would choose getting annoyed, would you?

Then Charlie looked up at the clock at the opposite side and gasped. "Come on! It's like 6:54 or something, COME ON!"

"What's the rush?" asked Manfred, straightening his bow.

"The surprise!"

Manfred's head shot up. "The surprise! How did you know?"

"You were planning that?" Charlie asked amazed. Usually he thought that Manfred was ebil and boring…and ebil…and boring…and ebil…and boring…and ebil…and-oh what the heck!

To make this chapter shorter, Manfred and Charlie rushes outside with Olivia to get their surprise ready.


	22. The Prophecy of Seth

Charlie grabbed Olivia's wrist as he pulled her out into an open space, which was very hard to find. "Charlie, what is the surprise?" Olivia asked, growing impatient.

"I'll say it's very…bright." Charlie replied, careful not to let out any obvious hints.

As they head to the open area, Manfred was on the curb of the sidewalk, watching Hannah Porter and Daniel Porter (the husband) carry a huge statue-like item with their children helping…besides Tim and Gwen who were too young and small to help. They instead played with a cockroach, giving the cockroach a chunk of their bread they were each holding.

"A lot of food makes you big and strong Mr. Cockroach!" Tim was saying happily.

"Food!" Gwen exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "You eat food buggy."

Allie grinned at Tim and Gwen. "Alright you two, Mr. Cockroach has enough to eat right now. You guys want to go to a party?"

"A party?" Tim asked curiously. "This is the party right? Is this why we're here?"

"Yes," Beatrice said. "Now you two get up and go in with daddy, okay?"

"Daddy, will you take us to the party?" asked Tim, tugging on Mr. Porter's jacket.

"Of course Tim. Gwen, come to daddy and we'll go to party!"

"Okay," Gwen placed her arms over her head and Mr. Porter scooped her up as if she was nothing but air.

Manfred turned his attention to the statue, trying to hide his gleeful face. "Could you set it over by the stage? Thank you Mrs. Porter."

"No problem Mr. Bloor." Mrs. Porter said politely.

She and her kids carefully stumbled to the stage and slowly settled the statue down.

"When do we take off the cover?" asked Alex.

"At the announcement, sweetie." Mrs. Porter said, wiping her forehead with her handkerchief.

"Can I go see my friends, mom?" asked Allie hopefully.

"Sure, be back here in an hour. Alex, Beatrice, you go off and find your friends too. Didn't you say you wanted to show Rachel your necklace Beatrice?"

Allie left her mom rambling on about friends and clothing while she looked for Olivia. "Wow…there are a lot of people that are endowed…is everybody endowed???"

"Not everybody," a girl said behind Allie.

Allie turned and looked up, feeling rather tiny. The girl was surrounded by seven tall men in black suits.

"Um…hi?" Allie whimpered.

"Don't mind them, they're just security." the girl said gloomily. "My name is Natasha, you can call me Sasha. I'm the daughter of the President of the United States." (Remember earlier that Miguel told Charlie that the President's daughter is endowed? I meant that the second one is. Back to the story oh and, P.S. go Obama!)

"The President's daughter?" Allie asked, amazed to be in the presence of one of the President's daughter.

"Yeah."

"Wow…an honor to meet you."

"Thanks," Sasha smiled. "I have to go find my father. Nice meeting you!"

She and her guards turned and disappeared into the crowd.

"Okay… moving on." Allie muttered to herself.

_**A Few Feet Away…**_

__Elliot was eyeing Sasha with interest. He held in his hand a note that read:

_Daughter of the State's lead_

_Find her in a time of need._

_Snatch her, take her, force her, make her_

_She has the key to trap, so lure._

_Daughter of the State's lead_

_Find her in a time of need._

_There a wall of power forms_

_This is a time for cold, not warm._

_Daughter of the State's lead_

_Find her in a time of need._

_Hark the boy whose powers strength_

_Time's time has a length._

_Daughter of the state's lead_

_Find her in a time of need._

_See the girl whose blood will spill_

_Then her life is now fulfilled._

_Daughter of the State's lead_

_Find her in a time of need._

_Irony is once your friend,_

_Now it is to the end._

Sure the prophecy doesn't make sense the first time you read it, so why not read it again? I'll wait…

_Daughter of the State's lead_

_Find her in a time of need._

_Snatch her, take her, force her, make her_

_She has the key to trap, so lure._

_Daughter of the State's lead_

_Find her in a time of need._

_There a wall of power forms_

_This is a time for cold, not warm._

_Daughter of the State's lead_

_Find her in a time of need._

_Hark the boy whose powers strength_

_Time's time has a length._

_Daughter of the state's lead_

_Find her in a time of need._

_See the girl whose blood will spill_

_Then her life is now fulfilled._

_Daughter of the State's lead_

_Find her in a time of need._

_Irony is once your friend,_

_Now it is to the end._

Still doesn't make any sense? Do you need to read it again? Too bad, there's a story going on so come back later.

Elliot didn't know what most of it meant but he knew some things. _Daughter of the State's lead _must be the President's daughter, for the President is the United State's leader. _Find her in a time of need…_ well; they need her for the surprise of course, which is about to happen in at least an hour.

The next two lines say to kidnap her for she has the key to power. Everything else is a big blur. Elliot decided to stay with the first stanza, much easier to understand.

"How?" Elliot asked himself. How could he kidnap Sasha with all of those bodyguards in the way? He then slapped his forehead. "I'm an idiot!"

He pulled out his phone and dialed his aunt's number. "Hello?" asked Mrs. Johnson's voice. She sounded a little weary.

"I have a way to get her." Elliot mumbled into the receiver.

"Great!" Mrs. Johnson didn't sound so weary anymore. "What's the plan?"

"You can duplicate yourself and take over the guards while I run in and snatch her away." Elliot whispered, looking around just in case the guards heard.

There was a moment of silence and then Mrs. Johnson's voice said, "What about the back-up plan?"

Elliot went, "Uhh…I haven't thought up one."

"You insolent boy!" (Remind you of someone?) "How could you not think up a back-up plan?"

"What could go wrong?"

"What if the girl screamed for help? People nearby would be eager to help the daughter of the United States President!"

"I'll gag her." Elliot replied smoothly.

"What if she kicks and punches and accidentally hit one of the people?"

"I'll tie her feet and hands."

"What if she escapes your clutches?"

Elliot didn't answer that one.

"Ha!" Mrs. Johnson jeered. "You haven't thought of that, have you?"

"I have another plan…" Elliot mumbled.

"Do you?" Mrs. Johnson sneered.

"You duplicate yourself, go into each guard…make sure you duplicate one more so you can control the girl."

Mrs. Johnson stayed silent. "Alright…" Mrs. Johnson said slowly and thoughtfully. "Yes, that's settled. How many guards are there?"

"Seven, so you go into eight shadows."

"This may be the perfect plan." Leah Johnson said slyly. "Where are you?"

"In front of the stage, see you." Elliot said.

They hung up and Elliot sat back, looking very eager and content.

_Daughter of the State's lead…_

Nothing can foil their plans…

_Find her in a time of need…_

Elliot's blood was rushing through him audibly, _thump, thump, thump…_

_Snatch her, take her, force her, make her…_

Sweat was rushing down his head as his breathing grew rapidly faster…

_She has the key to trap, so lure…_

Elliot was standing up, looking frantically at the note which held the prophecy and saw something he didn't see before…

_Daughter of the State's lead_

_Find her in a time of need._

_Behold this sheet is dipped with death_

_For the holder meets the Prophecy of Seth._

As he read the last word (or name for Seth is the author of this prophecy) he collapsed, dead.


	23. The Dance Part Two

Charlie and everyone else were unaware that Elliot had touched a poison note with the Prophecy of Seth written on it, they were having too much fun. Charlie had Olivia close her eyes as he set up the firecrackers.

"Are you done making my surprise?" Olivia asked, tempting to turn and look.

"Few more seconds Livvy!" Charlie called, lighting the rope part of the firecrackers.

He hurried back as the fire slowly inched up to the bottom of the firecracker.

"Now you can look!" Charlie said as the firecrackers zoomed up.

Olivia spun and looked up, gasping. "Fireworks!" she exclaimed while everyone near them stopped dancing or eating to look at the beautiful dancing sky. "Blue fireworks, red fireworks, green, purple, pink, white, gold, orange fire works!"

Allie looked up at the sky and they drew her breath away. "Amazing…" she sighed.

Shayera looked to the sky and smiled. "This is a magical night…"

Aurora and Cheyenne looked at each other and then at the sky with excited eyes. "I could stay here forever!" Cheyenne said.

"So could I!" Aurora replied breathlessly.

Yen looked up as she saw a purple firework explode right above her. The sparks danced wildly and she too wished she could be set free in the sky. She oohed and ahhed with everyone around her with a look of wonder.

Janel gazed lovingly into the darkish skies and whispered, "I wish my family can see this. Those fireworks can fly into the heavens…" She looked at her date thoughtfully. "Perhaps back in Mexico we can set some free for our ancestors, do you think?"

"We can of course." Janel's date replied.

Chrystal and Sydney glanced at the darkening sky. "Who set those off?" asked Sydney.

"I don't know but they seem so marvelous!" Chrystal said.

Sydeny nodded. A green firework exploded. "Oooh!" Then a red one burst. "Ahhh!" A gold one then boomed into tiny sparks. "Ooooh!" A blue went haywire and everyone near Chrystal and Sydney ducked. The two girls didn't and the firework busted just ten feet above them. "AHHHHHHH!" That 'Ahh!' was a scream of terror…

Helissa and Nicole laughed at the haywired blue firecracker. Then an orange firecracker zoomed right at them.

"AHH!" The two girls screamed as they ducked for their lives.

There was a laugh behind them and a boy who was an illusionist was pointing at the girls with his friends. "You girls should've seen yourself! 'Help me, help me!'" He and his friends laughed even harder.

Nicole stood up, looking murderous. She shot a weird look at the boy and a few moments later he was in the air. "Put me down!" the boy yelled.

"No way Kevin, you still owe me from second grade! I wonder how we could be triplets! Hey, where's our other triplet? Will?"

Helissa grinned. "Here he is." She pointed to one of the boys in the group and he backed up looking guilty.

"You're a mind reader, aren't you?" Will asked.

"Yeah, now go get your punishment like that guy up there, kicking his legs helplessly. Great job Nicole."

"Thanks!"

Lyla and Charley were looking amused at the fireworks but even more amused at the two floating boys that Nicole had aloft.

"How long are you going to keep them up there?" asked Lyla.

"Oh, for as long as I want which is probably five minutes, I'm not really patient if you ask me." replied Nicole, making her brothers move up and down as they screamed.

Charley grinned. "I wish I have my camera with me, this would be a good souvenir."

Helissa jumped. "I have on in my purse!" She grabbed her purse from the ground and unzipped the zipper.

She pulled out a silver digital camera and turned it on. She snapped a picture of the boys who were angrily yelling, "GIVE ME THAT PICTURE!" or "No! That's embarrassing!"

She took the camera out of their reach as they reached forward. "Sorry boys, not today."

She switched it to video mode and taped the fireworks.

Nicole looked at Charley as she laughed. "Go on, this would be great! Hey, Helissa, turn your video tape to this!"

Nicole and Charley were both Telekinetic so they combined their power to make the boys do flips in the air. They raised them higher so that everyone could see them. They were yelling, "I DON'T WANT TO BE RUNNED OVER BY A FIRECRACKER! I'M TOO YOUNG FOR THAT!"

"Oh please, you're only thirteen!" Nicole rolled her eyes while smiling at her new friends.

Charlie Bone and Olivia Vertigo found them with big smiles on their faces. Charlie, not Charley, had a red lipstick mark on his cheek. When Lyla pointed that out, he blushed and quickly wiped it off with the back of his hand.

"That's one great way to entertain the audience!" Olivia complimented.

"Thanks!" Nicole and Charley said.

Shayera, Sydney, Chrystal, Janel, Aurora, Cheyenne, Yen, Emma, and a girl that neither Charlie nor Olivia had ever seen.

"This is hilarious!" Emma laughed as she and Olivia exchanged glances.

"Hold them still for a minute!" Yen said, taping the footage with her video camera.

"Yeah, hold on!" Sydney pulled out her i-phone (Charlie gaped at the awesome machinery) and taped it.

Shayera and Chrystal pulled out their cameras and Aurora, Cheyenne, Olivia, and Emma grabbed their phones and took pictures. Charley sadly smiled. "I should've brought it with me but no, I had to leave it at the hotel room!"

"You know they sell cameras right behind you, right?" asked Charlie, pulling out some money out of his pocket for a camera.

"At least I brought money!" Charley said to Charlie.

They two, Charlie and Charley, bought the cameras and told Nicole to keep the boys up a bit longer. Nicole whined, "Hurry up Charley; I can't hold them up any longer without your help!" Charlie BONE looked quizzically at Nicole. She was forced to add, "Charley Swinn, not Charlie…whatever your last name is."

"Bone, I'm Charlie Bone." Charlie replied.

The other girl also pulled out something. It was a phone and she took a picture and nodded at Charley and Nicole to put Kevin and Will down.

"That is not funny!" Will shouted angrily, watching the group of girls (and one Charlie) laughed.

"You all better delete those or else!" Kevin said sourly.

"Or else what? You're just an illusionist," Nicole pointed to Kevin. "And you're just a mind reader!" Nicole pointed to Will who smirked.

"I can tell you know who about your crush on him." said Will simply.

Nicole's face went white as a ghost. "You wouldn't dare."

"I would."

"I-You…" Nicole ran and her brother ran after her, leaving the others chuckling still.

Olivia turned to the girl who motioned Nicole and Charley to let the boys down. "What's your name?"

The girl said, "My name is Jessie,"

"Hi Jessie, I'm Olivia Vertigo, this is Emma Tolly, Charlie Bone, and um…I don't really know their names really well so I'll let them introduce them to you." Olivia said, stepping aside.

Jessie shook hand with everyone and then Emma spotted something on Jessie's wrists.

"What's that?" asked Emma.

Jessie faced her. "What's what?"

"That on your wrists."

"Oh…my mother injured me…I hate her, and I know you do too. You fear her and I do everything I can to keep you safe." Jessie murmured, hoping no one else heard her.

Emma frowned. "Who's your mother?" But Emma already knew. "It's Leah Johnson, isn't it?"

Jessie looked up as tears swelled in her eyes. "That she is." Jessie said softly.

Emma looked at Jessie with alarm. Shayera looked at Jessie curiously. "Leah Johnson?"

Jessie nodded. "I would do anything to stop her…I need to warn you about the Prophecy of Seth. I need all of your help to free the Daughter of the State's lead."

"Daughter of the state's lead?" Charlie repeated. "You don't mean the President's daughter, do you?"

"It could mean anything but that reason is the one I think makes the most sense." Jessie said.

Everyone was silent. All that could be heard was the excited voices of the endowed in the world and the fireworks that kept on going and going. Finally, Emma said to Charlie, "How many firecrackers did you lit up?"

Charlie shrugged. "I don't know…maybe a couple of hundreds."

"A couple of HUNDREDS?" Emma exclaimed. Everyone gave a small laugh. "How could you sneak away with a couple hundred?"

Charlie shrugged. "I kept going back for more."

Everyone laughed and Emma shook her head, smiling. Then a curt voice interrupted them.

"You!"

Jessie turned with fright. Mrs. Johnson stood, glaring at Jessie with the Devil's eyes.

"Mom, please…don't!" Jessie pleaded.

"You did this!"

Mrs. Johnson wore a glove on her right hand. In her right hand was a note with the Prophecy of Seth on it.

"You dipped it in poison! You knew Elliot would need it and you killed him!" Mrs. Johnson screeched.

Jessie backed up and the group held her close, looked at Mrs. Johnson with horror.

"Children," Mrs. Johnson said in a mock loving voice to everyone else. "You run along and play while I deal with the big girl, okay?"

Emma faced her fears and boldly stood up to her. "I'm not running." she hissed.

Leah's face fell. "What did you say Tolly?"

"I said, I'm not running!" Emma repeated in a mean voice.

Olivia stood next to Emma. "I'm not going anywhere."

Charlie walked right in front of Jessie and snarled, "I'm going no where."

Shayera walked up also. "Neither am I."

"We're staying together." Yen said boldly as she stepped up.

"You can't make us." Helissa said, determined.

"There's no way you can hurt her or us." Cheyenne sneered.

"If you hurt Jessie, you will have to go through us!" Aurora shouted. People nearby were watching with interest.

Mrs. Johnson backed up as one by one, everyone stood up for Jessie who relaxed.

Mrs. Johnson looked around, knowing that she was badly outnumbered.

"FINE!" Leah yelled. The Endowed stopped (some of them) and looked at their opponent, looking very victorious. "FINE! Have it your way! But when I come back, you all will pay me back, the hard way." Leah hissed and she shrank into the shadows. Everyone grew twitchy for they knew that they could become victims.

"Come on; let's get out of this place. Besides, there's something going on at the stage!" Charlie said.

They made their way to the stage and found Billy, Tancred, Lysander, Lauren, Gabriel, Fidelio, Ben, Dannielle, and Naren (who was forced to come since her parents knew about the tradition) there, looking dreamily at the sky.

"The fireworks are still there?" Charlie asked vivaciously amazed.

"Yep, those couple hundred fireworks are pretty, aren't they?" said Emma, joining Tancred.

"Couple hundred?" asked Ben as he looked at Charlie, smiling. "That's the Charlie I know, well, now know!"

There was a loud feedback sound from the microphone onstage as Dr. Bloor tapped it.

"Hello? Can anybody hear me?"

"YES!" The Worldly Endowed answered obediently.

"Good, now everybody has to be inside the red line please." Dr. Bloor said as Manfred sadly walked up to the stage. Manfred didn't get the chance to tell Shayera sorry for what was about to happen.

Everyone simultaneously looked down to see the red line. Charlie assumed that no one had spotted that.

With many pushing and shoving, Manfred was sent to see if everyone was in the red line. Dr. Bloor smiled as Manfred came back and gave him a nod.

"Good, no, I would be very pleased to announce the surprise but I'm not, the Daughter of the President of the United States will! Please put your hands together for Natasha Obama!"

Sasha smiled as she walked onstage. Her father was among the people in the red line. He was smiling at her and giving her thumbs up as Sasha nervously went to the microphone. She tapped it and then said, "The Children of the Red King, I am very excited to be here today and I would like to note that the surprise is very impressive. Drum roll please."

Loud drumming began and Allie and her siblings played tug-o-war with the sheet that covered the statue of the Red King. When they won, everyone cheered and clapped.

Azura and Calogero beamed at the kind face the Red King gave them. Aldric cheered and Alfredo said, "That's it? A statue? I came all this way from America just for a statue? I don't even like statues! They give this look all day if you stay with them! It's kinda freaky sometimes. Still, I came over the ocean to see a statue…"

Mr. Towers said, "You came here so you can live and miss school for a month."

Alfredo hesitated and then jumped up yelling, "I LOVE STATUES!"

Aldric laughed with the other boys from Mr. Towers' class. Azura rolled her eyes.

Calogero gave Azura the look. "I know, I know; he is our dope." Azura said wearily, she smiled at Calogero who smiled back.

"This statue is made of everlasting ice, delicately handmade by yours truly, Hannah Porter!" Sasha continued, clapping.

Charlie placed two fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly.

A boy next to him (Tony it turns out) tapped Charlie on the shoulder. Charlie turned around, looking confused. "Yeah?"

"Here, if you want to whistle loud, do this!" Tony grabbed the skin under his bottom lip and pulled it out a bit and blew. A loud shrieking whistle came from his mouth and Charlie stared with fascination.

"Cool! Can you teach me how to do that?"

"It's _easy_! All you have to do is pull out this part and whistle like you normally do. It has to be perfect to get a good loud sound. Keep practicing and you'll get it one day." Tony said, demonstrating.

Charlie covered his ears as Tony whistled. Tony looked annoyed as he stopped. "Man, you're supposed to listen if you want to know if you're doing it right!"

"Oh, sorry, keep going." Charlie said.

As the two boys whistled, Sasha smiled at her dad who smiled with pride. She didn't notice the shadow behind her that leapt into her shadow. Sasha felt strange. She became weaker and weaker and a cold feeling cross over her body.

The last thing she saw was her father's happy face and then there was blackness swelling around her.

Mrs. Johnson had tooken over. Sasha/Leah Johnson cleared her throat and said in a clear voice, "Enough, I say that I'm very happy and will be even more happier if everyone stay in the red line or else I'll send my security guards after you, it's part of the tradition."

Emma thought she heard a girl yell, "No it's not!" Sasha kept going.

"Now, I will be happy to let Dr. Bloor take over this speech while I get ready for the most important part of this day!"

Dr. Bloor thanked Sasha and said, "The Endowed, I am very well aware that it is getting dark, I believe it is…8:30? Oh yes, 8:32, I was close, I was close…the fireworks display was very early, it was going to go off at midnight, oh well, we have another batch later on…"

Everyone cheered.

Dr. Bloor smiled at Ezekiel who nodded. He turned his attention to the crowd. Dr. Bloor handed him the microphone and Ezekiel said in a croaky voice, "Now, Sasha now comes back with the key to the great celebration device. All of you must be inside the red line for it to be able to work!"

A few scurrying feet were audible and then everyone was silent, waiting for the surprise.

Ezekiel opened his mouth to speak but a loud earsplitting whistle sounded. Charlie glared at Tony for ruining the moment but Tony shook his head, shrugging. "I'm not the only one who knows how to do it!"

"Then who?"

"Maybe Alfredo or Caleb, I didn't do it."

There was another whistle and everyone looked at the direction the whistle was coming from.

"Yes?" asked Ezekiel impatiently.

The person yelled, "WHAT'S THE CELEBRATION DEVICE?"

"That will be revealed in a few seconds only if you be quiet and inside the red line!" Ezekiel scowled.

"OH…SORRY!"

People laughed but many stayed quiet.

Ezekiel looked at Sasha as she grinned. "Now,"

Sasha tore off a necklace from her neck and jammed it into a hole at the side of a podium. A green transparent wall formed over the heads of the endowed. "Cool!" Charlie exclaimed. "Is it a simulator thing?"

"No it is not Mr. Bone!" Dr. Bloor roared.

"Okay, sorry, my bad…" Charlie muttered as Olivia laughed.

"You are all now my prisoners!" Ezekiel said. "MUA HA HA HA HA!"

"Dude, you really have to work on your evil laugh!" Charlie joked.

"Charlie!" Olivia nudged him hard in the ribs.

"Ouch! Sorry Liv," Charlie said, rubbing his side.

People were laughing as if it was a joke.

"Right, this thing? We can walk through it!" Tancred said laughing. He walked confidently to the green wall and tried to go through.

He, instead, ran right into the wall and stumbled back.

"Hey!" Tancred yelled at Ezekiel. "Hey!"

"What?" asked the very elderly man.

"That's not fair!"

"All's fair in love and war." Ezekiel said croakily.

President Obama stared at Sasha in disbelief. "How could you?"

"Oh, I'm not who you think I am, I'm overshadowing your daughter if you haven't noticed." Mrs. Johnson said in Sasha's voice.

Sasha walked away, leaving the President confused.

Jessie couldn't believe it. She looked around to see people using their powers to penetrate the walls.

A few birds tried pecking at the wall, some shift shapers were turning into dinosaurs to break the walls but ended up making people scared and squishing a few of them with their tails.

Elemental Manipulators were trying to pierce the wall with jagged rocks and earth or ice or trying to melt away the walls with fire.

People whose powers were hopeless in this situation just stood there, looking discouraged. One of them was Charlie Bone.

Emma had turned to a woodpecker to help the other birds peck the walls. Tancred shot lighting at it, Lysander and his ancestors were poking the walls with their spears and axes, Dannielle was shooting sharp water at the walls, Billy talked to the mice running around the floors to chew on the walls or at least dig a tunnel out of here. Charlie's brain felt pressured until he saw one of Billy's mouse digging in the ground.

"THAT'S IT!" Charlie yelled.

"What's it?" asked Olivia.

"Get as many elemental manip-something to remove the earth under us and start making tunnels!"

"Perfect! But how do we get everyone's attentions?"

Charlie looked around. He saw Tancred and ran to him. "Hey, Tancred!"

Tancred stopped to look at Charlie. "Yeah?"

"Can you make words out of lighting?"

"I have no idea, haven't tried it out." Tancred said curiously. "Why?"

"We need everyone's attention. We need people who can manipulate earth to dig tunnels out of here!" Charlie explained.

"I can try…" Tancred made a little lighting bolt and tried to twist it into words but they faded. "Sorry Charlie, they can't stay in the air for long, they stay for a split second."

Charlie anxiously looked around. He saw a box of firecrackers lying at the base of the stage. "I wonder…" Charlie muttered.


	24. The Dance Part Three

Manfred walked around the edges of the green force field sadly. His head jerked up when he saw Shayera at the edge, banging on the walls helplessly. She stopped when she saw Manfred.

"Why?" she demanded.

Manfred looked down. He looked up at Shayera's sad face and said, "I'm sorry…" He turned back and walked off, wanting nothing but his face to disappear on Earth.

As Manfred walked off, Shayera's face soften. She looked around and then concentrated and soon enough, a huge chunk of earth raised and she threw it to the side. She caught it just in time so that the earth wouldn't crush innocent kids in the process of falling down.

_**Meanwhile…**_

Charlie asked Dannielle to try her best to use her air power to make the sparks when they explode turn into letters the best she can. Dannielle admitted that she didn't entirely mastered air, let alone her fire powers, but she'll give it a shot, until Charlie got another great idea.

"What is it now Charlie?" asked Dannielle.

"Use your fire powers to make the words!" Charlie exclaimed excitedly. When he saw Dannielle's face, he added, "You haven't mastered air, but you would give it a shot, you haven't mastered fire, you don't give it a shot…come on!"

"It's more complicated then that Charlie." Dannielle said grimly. "Okay," she sighed when Charlie gave her the puppy look (which he should NEVER do it again…it doesn't look good on him).

As Dannielle readied herself, Calogero stood beside Charlie. "You know…it would be dangerous if zat fire burns someone…my sister can do zit though…"

Dannielle turned around. "Your sister can do it? Is she good?"

"She has been practicing for years. As what I have seen, yes, she is good."

"Let his sister do it! I could burn someone and that wouldn't be good!" Dannielle pleaded. Charlie looked at Dannielle and then Calogero.

"Fine, your sister can do it."

"Azura! Come, we need you!" Calogero called.

Azura walked up to her brother with a questioning look. When Charlie explained the situation, she stepped up and shot green fire in the air…just a fire ball.

"What was that? That's not a word, that's a fireball!" Charlie said.

"She's is getting people's attention." Calogero explained.

"Oh…sorry."

After many fireballs, everyone's attention was on Azura. Azura spun and more green fire came out and they twisted like snakes.

"All…" Emma read. More fire. "Ele-men-tal…" More fire. "Manipulators…" More fire. "Come…" More fire. "Here to…me…" More fire. "We…have…" More fire. "An escape…plan…"

The fire ceased and some people hurried to the fire girl. Azura looked at Charlie. "Good luck Charlie Bone."

She walked off with Calogero and Charlie and Dannielle were surrounded by many people looking eager to escape.

"Here's the plan…" Charlie started out, rubbing his hands together.

_**Minutes later…**_

__Charlie was trying his best to get people out of the way from the tunneling site until later. They obediently moved but many were stubborn to move.

So they started small. Who cares if someone fell in, that was the point! Erm…part of it is. Then President Obama said, "Do what the boy tells you to, okay?"

That got them moving.

Seven E.M's (Elemental Manipulators) positioned themselves in a circle. They punched the air down and the earth shifted beneath. Charlie fell down but he wasn't the only one. He quickly got back up and told them to keep moving. The rest made walls around the circle but left four gaps for people to enter the hole.

The E.M down in the hole working made it go down one more time and they started to curve. Dannielle punched the air to her right and the earth turned. Three others made stairs. They were very crooked and they had to perfect it a bit for it to be climbable.

When the other four punched straight, the hole went there but people above them yelled and several people fell in front of the E.M. So they had to dig deeper.

They did just that but then there was a loud _thump_ and a green floor was visible.

They groaned and climbed back out to tell the devastating fact to Charlie who kicked the wall.

"We're never gonna get out of here!" Charlie yelled angrily. Then he remembered something. "I got it!" Charlie exclaimed.

"Not again." Tancred groaned.

"Jessie, where are you, JESSIE!"

Jessie appeared with a boy that looks like a smaller Miguel. "Yeah?"

"Do you know the Prophecy of Seth?" asked Charlie.

"Yeah…wait a minute…" Jessie's eyes widen and she looked at the wall excitedly.

"What was it again?" asked Charlie.

"It goes like this:

_Daughter of the State's lead_

_Find her in a time of need._

_Snatch her, take her, force her, make her_

_She has the key to trap, so lure._

_Daughter of the State's lead_

_Find her in a time of need._

_There a wall of power forms_

_This is a time for cold, not warm._

_Daughter of the State's lead_

_Find her in a time of need._

_Hark the boy whose powers strength_

_Time's time has a length._

_Daughter of the state's lead_

_Find her in a time of need._

_See the girl whose blood will spill_

_Then her life is now fulfilled._

_Daughter of the State's lead_

_Find her in a time of need._

_Irony is once your friend,_

_Now it is to the end._

"That's it! Charlie yelled, punching the air.

"What's it?" asked Olivia for the umpteenth time today.

"This is the time for cold, not warm! We used the earth, and right now, it's kind of warm, right? We need something cold, water and air! Together, they could break the wall!"

"Are you sure?" asked Emma.

"I hope so," Charlie said, looking at the faces of the E.M. "Now go break it with cold water and air!"

The E.M coaxed the water out of the grass (which is now dead so Mr. Weedon would be furious but who cares?) and made a huge icicle as a ram. Also storm manipulators may join this time. Tancred used his power to make wind. The wind and ice battled the force field.

"This will take forever! I don't think it will work!" Olivia said doubtfully.

"Have I ever been wrong?" asked Charlie, merely insulted.

"Yes," Olivia replied coolly, scanning the walls.

"Well that was nice!" Charlie said affronted.

"No time for apologizing!" Olivia said worriedly.

"Yeah, again, nice!" Charlie said in an offended tone.

"Maybe it meant that cold and cruel people's moment of glory is here, we're the warm, or the good guys, are near defeat." said Jessie.

"I still like my way better." Charlie answered.

"But it's not working!" Olivia said.

_**"WHO CARES IF IT'S NOT WORKING?!?!"**_ Charlie erupted furiously.

Olivia and Jessie stared. Charlie saw many people looking at him. "What?" Charlie asked, annoyed.

"Yell again…" Jessie commanded.

"What? Why?" asked Charlie.

"Just do it!"

"What good would that do?"

"Trust me! It will do a LOT!"

Charlie stared at Jessie doubtfully but then he yelled at the top of his lungs, "WHY DO YOU NEED ME TO YELL!?"

Jessie was looking at the walls eagerly and then turned to Charlie, saying, "Louder,"

"_WHY DO YOU NEED ME TO YELL?!?!" _Charlie hollered.

"Louder!!!" Olivia said.

"_**WHY DO YOU NEED ME TO YELL?!?!?!" **_Charlie shouted, feeling a tad abused by his voice.

"LOUDER!" Olivia and Jessie ordered.

Charlie took a very deep breath and was bellowing, "_**WHY DO YOU NEED ME TO YELL????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**_"

Olivia shook Charlie by the shoulders, yelling. "Look, look!"

Charlie spun around, hoping that it better be good. What he saw amazed him. The walls were shaking as his echo bounced around the green dome.

Then the echo stopped when it hit the wall for the umpteenth time and there was a little crack.

"Sound waves!" Emma exclaimed. "Fidelio, make as many sound waves as you can muster!"

Fidelio stopped in his tracks, wearing a very sly grin.

"What?" asked Charlie.

"I met a few friends along the way and some are my fellow sound wave buddies. Come on guys, we have a wall to break and it can only be broken by us!"

Charlie counted eleven people scurrying next to Fido, looking nervous but excited.

Six girls and five boys, not including Fidelio, looked at the walls, examining every inch of it. Fidelio studied the crack which was about an inch long and a centimeter wide. "Wow Charlie, you have a pretty loud voice! It's like your endowment changed to sound wave maker too!" Fidelio finally said, laughing.

Charlie smiled weakly. "It takes a lot of strength for me to do that so thank me everyone…"

"We will if we get out of here." Olivia said, patting Charlie on the back. "But that's _if_ we get out of here alive."

"Okay everyone, stand back! We have a force field to break!" Fidelio yelled to the anxious crowd.

He and the other eleven people slashed their arms one direction and then the other slowly; every time they would go quicker and then they spun simultaneously and threw their arms to the wall. Charlie felt a surge of power sweep over him and he could see ripples in the air as it hit the field.

"Whoa!" Charlie gasped. He looked at Olivia's reaction. She was holding her tape recorder up to film the magnificent sight.

Then he saw a few more people joining. I mean, there's not ONLY twelve people in the WHOLE world with that power, there must be at least fifty more, right? That's exactly what Charlie thought.

They kept on doing the same movement and then at least twenty kids were up and active. Charlie cannot only feel the power and see the ripples, he could feel strong winds picking up and when he looked at the ripples, they grew intense.

The stronger they grow, the stronger they bounce back. There were some crackling sounds, perhaps from the walls. Again, the waves come back every time. Always, there are people falling at the force of the waves or struggling to stand up. Some were carried off, no, not flew into the air, but were pushed backwards a few inches (please, let's be scientifically logical about this, not including the magic or the endowments or the other Charlie Bone stuff, okay?).

A lot of people were enjoying it, and so is Charlie. I mean, it's only at least once in your life you get to be 'force field' across the gardens with a bunch of other people in it at some dance, hmm? Even though they should be serious, they can lighten up a bit, can't they?

"This is fun! We should get Fidelio to do this to us everyday!" Charlie yelled gleefully over to Lysander who was crouching on the floor, struggling to get back up. He made it up after a few minutes and smiled with triumph until Billy flew back and landed on top of Lysander.

"Good luck getting back up Sander!" Charlie yelled. Charlie was on the floor, grabbing the grass. It was okay since the grass was long and weedy.

"This is even worse than Tancred's storms!" Billy's little voice yelled.

"Hey! I spend YEARS developing a strong wind! Fidelio just got help!" Tancred hollered, sliding back on his stomach, trying to clutch the grass.

"Exactly!" Lysander shouted before letting go to slide along with Tancred.

Olivia was still up. She was holding her video camera, smiling and laughing. "This will be the best home video in all of time!" Olivia yelled to Charlie, who laughed.

Then he saw Alfredo letting go and sliding in the grass, yelling in a sing-song voice, "WHEEEEEEE! I'm a little birdie! Watch me fly!!!!"

Charlie then bumped into him, even though he didn't want to end up with a crazy person singing about flying when he's just twelve.

"Oops, sorry!" Charlie said to Alfredo who jumped.

"It's okay man, have you seen Caleb by chance?"

"Who?"

"Never mind…oh, holy crap, there's Emily, dude, hide me!"

He ducked behind Charlie. "Er…why are you hiding?" Charlie asked uncertainly.

"Because she wants revenge! I switched her lotion with glue!"

Charlie laughed. "Great trick! Well, good luck!"

Charlie jumped to the side and let himself glide across the grass while Alfredo jumped behind another person.

"Hey Charlie!" Emma yelled.

"Yeah?"

"Have you seen the crack yet? You're supposed to go up there now!" Emma shouted.

"Oh, hey Em, help me up!" Charlie yelled, one hand grabbing the grass and the other out for Emma to grab.

Emma leaned over to and grabbed Charlie's hand, trying to pull him up.

"Emma, Charlie, you need a hand?" asked Olivia from behind.

"Sure, Come on, grab his right hand." Emma said loudly.

Olivia, with one hand holding the video tape and her other hand free, reached over and gripped Charlie's right hand.

They pulled him up but the two girls fell. So Charlie was up and the girls were hanging on to his feet.

"What the-? What are you guys doing?" asked Charlie looked down at his feet. "You're going to make me fall!"

"We need to get up there too, Emma! Turn into a huge bird and take us up, I KNOW IT'S RISKY BUT THERE'S NO OTHER WAY! WE NEED TO GET THERE QUICKLY!" Olivia roared.

Emma nodded and (with a bit of a yelp from Charlie) went up in flames but then a scarlet phoenix flew up. Charlie was still standing and Olivia was still hanging on. Emma, fighting the winds, tried to fly down but the currents always carried her in another direction. Then she finally had to wrap her wings around her (and to not flap) and dived. Charlie and Olivia screamed, closing their eyes but then Emma unwrapped her wings at the very last second and tapped Charlie on the head with her wing while her talons get a hold of the grass.

Charlie grabbed Olivia's hand and climbed onto Emma's back with great difficulty.

Emma tried to help but Charlie just waved her off. "Hold on, I think I got it…yes!" Charlie pulled Olivia on after him and Olivia quickly wrapped her arms around Charlie's waist. "Come on, let's go!" Olivia called.

Emma flew into the air. At first Charlie thought they were just floating there. He thought Emma wasn't trying to get back. When he started to point this out, he saw Emma's worried eyes as she looked around.

She screeched loudly and the ripples slowly stopped.

Charlie blinked as he opened his eyes and looked around, seeing that he was in the center of attention. "Someone, check the crack!" someone yelled.

Charlie raised his hand up to silence everyone as they started murmuring. "I'm going to go check the crack, okay? Please wait while I go see!"

He looked at Emma who zoomed to Fidelio and his band of sound wavers.

"How is it?" asked Charlie as he jumped off of Emma, followed closely by Olivia. Emma changed back to her normal self. She now knows that she can change back and to a bird whenever she wants without going to do it in private.

"There is a gaping hole right here!" a boy hollered in an Italian accent. "But it is not big enough for any one of us to go through…"

"How long?" asked Olivia.

"At least two feet." the boy replied exhausted.

"How wide?" asked Emma.

"Five inches."

"Well…that's something, right? All we have to do is to keep it up!" Charlie said hopefully.

Fidelio shook his head. "No, we went on for ten minutes, we're all tired!"

"Does anyone have a pry bar?" asked a girl.

Then a girl stepped up. "I can make and bend metal. I can use it like I control it too."

"Perfect!" Fidelio said, jumping up.

Then another girl just at least seven years younger than the first stepped out with a piece of paper smiling. "Look! I can draw a bunny!"

*Here's the bunny in computer form:*

(\_/)

(o.0)

c(,(")(")

The first girl gave a weak smile. "My sister, Annabelle, she likes to draw, sorry about that."

"It's okay," Emma said sweetly.

There were several thumps where Charlie stood so Emma looked around. Charlie was jamming his fist against the wall.

"What are you doing?" asked Olivia, looking amused.

"I'm jamming my fists to loosen the pressure in the walls. Uncle Paton told me it was possible but it's very difficult to do so you need a master." replied Charlie.

"So…are you professionally doing it or are you just jamming random places?" asked Fidelio, smiling.

Silence.

Then Charlie said, "I rather not answer that…"

Emma, Olivia, and Fidelio laughed along with Fidelio's group of sound wavers.

Charlie stood straight up and retorted, "Oh, so you think you can do a better job than me?"

"What if we all yell like Charlie?" asked Olivia.

"Hey, I'm asking a question here!" Charlie said, annoyed.

"Do I have to get everyone's attention again? What time is it? It looks really dark outside…" Emma yawned.

"Hello, can you hear me?" asked Charlie, feeling unloved again.

"It's about 11:00 Em." Fidelio replied, checking his watch.

"Are you all deaf?" Charlie asked weary.

"We better hurry, my auntie expects me back by midnight!" Emma said anxiously.

"Yeah, let's all ignore Charlie Bone, shall we?" Charlie yelled, throwing his arms up into the air."

"Where's Charlie?" asked Olivia, looking the other way with her back facing Charlie who was red with rage.

"I'm…over…here…" Charlie said, trying to sound calm.

"Charlie, hey, Charlie?!" Fidelio called.

"I'm over here!" Charlie yelled.

They turned. "Oh, there you are!" Olivia exclaimed.

Charlie turned around, crossing his arms.

Then President Obama and some of the bodyguards walked up to Charlie and patted his shoulder.

"Listen, I have a plan. You know how to make an earsplitting whistle, do you?" asked the President.

Charlie nodded and then his eyes lit up. "I see where you're going with this…I think."

"To get everyone to whistle as loud as they can? That's what I'm thinking if that's what you're thinking."

"Actually, I was thinking about nachos but that's a good idea! Let's try it!" Charlie said as everyone near him laughed about nachos. "What? I'm hungry and the food is outside of the red line!" Charlie added.

"Okay, let's get their attention again." Emma said wearily. "I think you will need Azura for that, I'm just plain exhausted!"

"While you guys do that, I'll try to pry the fissure open." said the girl, grabbing her little sister's hand as she dragged her to the fissure (crack).

"Good luck," Olivia said.

"Thanks Olivia." the girl said, smiling.

"You don't happen to be a mind reader, do you?" asked Olivia, stopping.

"I may be, I may be not."

"Okaaaay…anyway…Let's go guys!" Olivia plunged into the crowd with Charlie and Emma. "I don't think we can find her in this crowd!" Olivia said.

"Hey! EVERYBODY, LISTEN UP!" Charlie yelled. Since he IS the center of attention, most of the endowed looked at him. "I NEED TO FIND AZURA, THE AZURA WHO CAN MAKE GREEN FIRE!!!!!!" Charlie shouted.

At the same time, one tenth of a millimeter cracked open in the gap where the girl was working.

In a flash, Azura appeared right next to him. It was creepy but still kind of cool.

"Yes?" she asked.

"We need everyone to whistle as loud as they can. I'm afraid to lose my voice so I need you!" Charlie explained.

"No problem." Azura said.

_**One Awesome Minute Later…**_

__Everyone was whistling as loud as they can. Some experts, say Tony and his friends, were extremely loud but there are still pretty loud ones from people all over the place. Some can't even whistle! (Don't worry people who can't whistle, I can't either, or at least, not very loud)

Charlie tried Tony's technique but ended up spitting on Billy ("Sorry Billy!"). Billy said, "It's okay, just try not to whistle when I'm around like that."

Dannielle looked around. She spotted Emma whistling and tapped her on the shoulder. "What is it Dannielle?" asked Emma.

"Look, it's Dr. Bloor! He's near the crack now!" Dannielle said worriedly.

"What?" Emma said, looking up in alarm.

They found Charlie and they both said simultaneously, "He's there!"


	25. Imposting the Ebil

"Oh Paton, this is wonderful!" Mr. Bone cried out when he saw the restaurant.

It was around 11:30 and the six (Mr. Bone, Mrs. Bone, Paton, Julia, Mr. Onimous, and Mrs. Onimous) were standing in their formal clothing in front of a five star restaurant. "Are you sure you can go in? Look at all those crystals up there and the room is filled with light!"

"They're just candles," Paton said "and also, it's almost midnight! We all walked in the moonlit park, went to see an opera in the theater, now we need something to eat."

Mrs. Bone laid her head against Mr. Bone's shoulder thoughtfully. "It truly is a magical night…"

"Just because the kids are having a magical night doesn't mean that we shouldn't!" Mrs. Onimous said with a laugh. "I'm pretty sure Una got herself at the food area, she would love to help serve food and make people eat them."

The adults laughed at the thought. "Are you sure we should go eat there? It's very expensive and it's a five star restaurant." Julia whispered to Paton.

"That's the point, don't worry, we have the money, we can afford it anyway, I asked my sisters for money so that shouldn't be a problem."

"Let me guess…" Mrs. Bone said in a matter-of-fact voice. "You asked them and they said no, so you took some money, didn't you?"

"I prefer the term 'borrowing' but yes, pretty much." Paton said furtively.

Julia laughed along with the others. "Oh Paton, when will you ever learn?"

"Perhaps never," Paton replied as they entered the sweet-aroma-smelled eatery and settled down at a round table covered in a whitish pinkish cloth that went down all the way to the ground. In the center was a small clear vase with red, white, pink roses and some lavender.

"I like this place already," Mr. Onimous said, looking around at the impressive chandelier.

They each took a menu and studied it with interest. Paton's face lit up when he found Chocolate éclairs on the menu.

Mrs. Bone murmured to Julia and Mrs. Onimous, "I would like a plate of steamed rice with chopped fish and beef, is that ideal for this occasion or should I order something fancier?"

"I prefer to order a bowl of noodles with chopped fish, beef, steak, a few herbs like basil and a pinch of pepper." Mrs. Onimous whispered.

Mrs. Bone gazed at Miss Ingledew. "How about you?"

"I really don't know…maybe a plate of fried rice, chopped carrots and basil, egg rolls, sweet and spicy dip, and lemon tea." Julia muttered.

Mrs. Bone immediately thought, _I need to order something else._ She looked back at her menu and saw something really satisfying.

"Steak on a bed of lettuce with fried rice with peas and boiled chopped carrots with soy sauce and green tea." Mrs. Bone ordered.

She could taste the tenderness of the meat and the relaxation of the tea…Life is good.

Mr. Bone was the last to place his order and the waiter bowed his head as he made his way to the kitchen.

Paton rubbed his hands together excitedly. "So…now we have to plan."

"Plan what?" asked Mr. Onimous, fidgeting with his cloth napkin. He had always wondered how the fancy restaurant employees make them by hand so perfectly. Also he wanted to see how they folded it so he could do the same with his own restaurant.

"Our wedding," Julia said, fingering the diamond stone on her engagement ring.

"Oh!" Mrs. Bone and Mrs. Onimous exclaimed. Mr. Bone looked at Paton with a smile.

"Paton, you just cost us a long night. Women kept on talking and talking about plans, especially weddings. That's lesson one about women."

Mrs. Bone gave Mr. Bone a little look that meant 'I don't think so!' and then said, "What I think we should do is to get three balloon colors, white, purple, and pink! We could connect them together and make a rope of balloons to hang over the altar! Then after that, we host a party, but where?"

"How about the woods near Mr. Bloor's house? Bartholomew would have to say yes! It's a party!" said Mr. Onimous.

"But he wants to keep him and his family away from people, he wouldn't be happy." said Paton.

"The woods near the Thunder House? It's on the opposite side of Bartholomew's house." suggested Mrs. Bone.

"It could work…" Paton said slowly, shooting a look of hope at his fiancée.

"Yes, it could…" Julia said, slowly smiling into a wide grin. "The woods are a peaceful place for a wedding party!

So Amy Bone continued on about the wedding plan, and she gotten Mrs. Onimous and Julia to tag along. Soon enough, the men excused themselves to the bathroom.

When the three were in the glamorous silver and gold lavatory with silver faucets and pearly white counters with a smooth platinum floor, they sighed in relief. "Let's hide in here for a while; they won't be able to come in here." Mr. Bone joked.

"What about our fancy dinner?" asked Paton with a tinge of sadness in his voice.

"Fine…" Mr. Bone sighed, giving Paton a smile. "Come on; let's get out of here,"

_**In Dr. Bloor's Study…**_

__"Now that we have them trapped, we have fulfilled the second part of the Prophecy!" Dr. Bloor said excitedly.

"What about the boy whose powers will get stronger?" asked Ezekiel.

"It will have to be Manfred," Dr. Bloor said. "It has been transformed from hypnotism to fire monger, right?"

"Yes," Manfred muttered.

"Why the long face?" asked Dr. Bloor.

"Nothing," Manfred said, turning away.

"And the time?" asked an ebil headmaster.

"Nearly midnight," Manfred answered.

"No not that!" The man snarled. "In the prophecy! _Time's time has a length_."

"The world will end soon? I don't know…" Dr. Bloor muttered. "Let's go on and we can worry about the time part later."

"_See the girl whose blood will spill_. A girl will either die or be injured." said Ezekiel, studying the words.

Manfred secretly hoped that the girl would not be Shayera. No, she's too precious for that.

"Then the irony part, _Irony is once our friend, now it is to the end_. So it helped us and now it will help us again! We'll win!" Dr. Bloor said presumably.

Every ebil headmaster and headmistress cheered and Ezekiel leaned down to pet Blessed who was whimpering softly.

_**At Home… (Charlie's House)…**_

__Maisie was sound asleep while Grizelda paced back and forth. She eyed the clock nervously and then back at the floor as she waited.

Three urgent knocks on the door sounded and Grandma Bone rushed to the door and opened it, revealing the faces of her sisters.

"Well, is all good?" asked Grandma Bone.

"All is well," Venetia said with a small smile. She and her sisters walked right in, settling themselves on the couch, looking at each other slyly.

"So…they are all trapped, is that right?" asked Grandma Bone, walking into the kitchen to grab a few biscuits and brew some tea.

"Yes, they're all helplessly trapped." Eustacia said pleased.

Lucretia and Venetia smiled ebilly and leaned forward to grab a biscuit from the tray. Grizelda flattened her dress and sat neatly down on the couch with them. "So why are they keeping them trapped again?"

"To see which one is the most powerful. If one of them gets out, they will use his or her power to rule Europe. That force field is not easy to break." Lucretia sniffed.

"Not even a warlock or a shadow can get past that." Eustacia said, pouring herself some tea.

"Someone with real skill can penetrate it. The only hard thing is that the wall weakens your powers every hour." Venetia said with glee.

Grandma Bone's head jerked up at the words, weakens power.

"Interesting…" she said, thinking hard. "Maybe I can go through his stuff…"

"You're not planning to take this advantage and go look around the boy's room for the wand, are you?" asked Eustacia, biting into her biscuit.

"That's exactly what I'm thinking." Grandma Bone sniffed.

"What If it changes into a moth?" asked Venetia, sipping her tea quietly.

"Well a silly little moth can't beat us, we've been here longer than the wand has been around the house, and I know all the secret passageways and shortcuts." Grandma Bone croaked proudly.

"And the moth has no idea about those passages?" asked Lucretia doubtfully.

"No idea." Grandma Bone whispered dramatically for the effect.

"There are secret passageways here, huh? For how long?" asked Eustacia.

"For as long as I can remember. I discovered some when I was wandering around looking for Paton who had eaten my ice cream!" Grandma Bone hissed.

"For as long as you can remember? That's probably a few decades, am I right?" asked Lucretia.

Before Grandma Bone could say anything, there was three loud knocks at the door. Grandma Bone sprang up from the couch and hurried to the door, wondering who would come at _this_ time of hour.

Lucretia, Venetia, and Eustacia shifted and exchanged nervous looks. "I bet it is no one." Lucretia said, getting up.

"No, no, I want to see what they want," Grandma Bone said grimly.

"But why? It's a waste of time! The visitor will cause much chaos." Eustacia said.

Grizelda stopped. "What do you see into the future, hmm?"

"Oh, um…I see…yes…I see that there are three boys outside, planning to ding-dong ditch!" Eustacia said rather quickly.

Grandma Bone stared at her sister suspiciously. "Who are they?" she asked.

"They are kids I have never known before but um…their names are…Roger…Judy…Tim, and…Claire!"

Grandma Bone's head shot to the door as another three knocks sounded. "How can they 'ding-dong ditch' if they are knocking?"

"They do that so it won't be so suspicious." said Venetia, giving Eustacia a strange look.

"How do you know that?" asked Grandma Bone.

"They do that to me many times." Venetia said. "Then sweet Eric decided to scare them by having a sign saying 'We're watching' and 'We have a security camera ready'."

"Well, did you?" asked Grizelda, ignoring the impatient knocks.

"Of course not, that's just to scare them."

"Well I want to meet them face to face," Grandma Bone huffed.

"NO!" The three sisters cried.

Grandma Bone opened the door and three stern faces looked at her. Grizelda, looking confused and stunned, looked at the visitors and then back at her sisters. Venetia, Eustacia, and Lucretia stood at the door, looking furious. "About time you opened the door!" Lucretia sniffed. She stopped when she saw herself looking at her.

"Grizelda…who are they?" asked Venetia in a soft but dangerous voice.

Venetia (the other one) said, "That's not the real Venetia, I am!"

Venetia (the one that just came in) said angrily, "No, you are the imposter!"

Lucretia looked at Lucretia and Eustacia looked at Eustacia, looking quite shocked.

"Grizelda, don't listen to them!" Lucretia (the one who came before the other Lucretia came) said in a solemn voice. "They are the imposters! They are frauds!"

"What ever is going on down here?" asked Maisie's voice.

Everyone looked up as footsteps were audible. They were getting louder and louder until Maisie (dressed in her pink bathrobe) peeked down in the living room. What she saw gave her nearly a heart attack. "Not double of them!" Maisie cried in horror as she fled from the staircase and back to her room, locking it along with baracading it as well.

"IMPOSTERS!" Venetia (the one who just came) in yelled, pointing at the three worry looking faces of the three sisters that came in earlier than the other three.

"I have a feeling I know who are the imposters." Grandma Bone said curtly, looking over at the three sisters who came in early.

The three who Grandma Bone was accusing stepped back, knowing that they were defeated.

They ran to the kitchen to change to their normal selves. "Hurry!" warned 'Lucretia' as she dissolved into another figure.

"I'm trying, don't rush me!" snapped 'Eustacia' as she fumbled with her tail that grown out into a cat-like tail.

"STOP!" The real Venetia yelled. "STOP this INSTANT!"

"Let's go!" The fake Venetia cried, fleeing from the kitchen. She looked weird indeed. A few feathers stuck out in odd angles and her mouth was a beak. She developed a feathery tail but other than that, the rest of her is human.

'Eustacia' grew a tail and her ears were at the top of her head, pointy and furry. Her eyes are green and her nails were claws. Nothing else feline about her.

'Lucretia' was long and twisted. She fumbled many times as she ran out of the house. Her neck was extremely long, her eyes are slits of yellow and she grew a tail with a rattle at the end. She has one leg and has both arms…no wonder she had trouble escaping…she's missing a leg!

The real ones stood there, shaking their fists and yelling at the top of their scratchy voices. "YOU IMPOSTERS! YOU FIENDS! YOU HORRIBLE CRUEL…" And so on…

Imposter Venetia, Lucretia, and Eustasia laughed as they ran/slither/crawled out onto the streets, now completely transformed into full animals and not half, that will look creepy. They kept going until they reached the Pet's Café.

The fake Eustasia changed to another woman, a younger blonde headed woman. "Come on, Onoria won't be back 'til later." Onnia said.

The other two animals shift shaped into their original forms, Onnastia and Onnora nodded.

"We know that Mrs. Bone senior is looking for the wand now…she'll have nearly full power! We have to warn the kids!" Onnoria said anxiously.

"What can we do? We can't get past the force field; there will be guards around there! But we can get past them as ants but in the force field is IMPOSSIBLE!" Onnastia said sadly.

"I have a plan…" Onnia said, grinning mysteriously.


	26. See The Girl Whose Blood Will Spill

As the sisters drove up to the school, they sat in the car with horror. The green walls were visible and huge…very, _very_ huge.

"Look!" Onnastia said, pointing to a group of men clutching spears. "The guards!"

"Ants or what?" asked Onnia, looking back at her sisters.

"We'll never get from here to there as ants! We won't make it on time!" said Onnora breathlessly as she stared at the force field. "I knew it would be big but I didn't realize they meant the _whole _garden!"

"Well, there are kids from all over the world, from every single country, in there, what else do you expect? I didn't realize it would be that big so don't blame you." Onnastia said, gripping the door handle.

"So what shall we do?" asked Onnia, checking the front gates nervously.

"Chameleons, we'll change to chameleons and cross the road, then turn to snakes and slither our way through, then we'll find Charlie and his friends and think up a plan from there, if a guard comes our way, turn to ants or some fast insect so we don't get stepped on." said Onnora, opening the door quietly as she could.

Their blonde hair blew in the wind as they hurried out. Onnastia spotted that the guards were eyeing them suspiciously so they pretended to get something from the back trunk.

"You go check the tires! I think I heard something cracking." yelled Onnia, trying to trick the guards into thinking that they had a flat tire. They, of course, wouldn't tell because it near midnight.

"Sure," Onnora said, kneeling beside the tire. She grabbed a huge stick and prodded the tire. The guards can't see her because she's on the opposite side. She snapped the stick in half. "I think I broke something." she called in a worried tone.

"Do we have a spare tire in there?" asked Onnastia.

"No, argh!" Onnia kicked the car. "We'll have to walk to the tire shop right now or we'll never get home. Come one!"

The three walked through a path with plenty of trees and changed to chameleons.

They waited until some cars were gone. "Let's go!" Onnora hissed in chameleon language.

They scattered off, zig-zagging and across the street. As they jumped onto the wet curb, they looked up and then sideways. Onnia had flicker her tongue impatiently so the guards can turn the other way. Even though you have camouflage, it doesn't mean you're invisible, it's just hard to see you, that's all.

Also the long untrimmed grass sways when they walk and if the guard sees that he'll go investigate.

"So now what?" asked Onnastia as her tongue flickered up.

"We wait," Onnora hissed.

_**Ten Minutes Later…**_

__The guard had finally turned his head the other way, though stiffly. Onnora looked closely and groaned. "That guard was asleep!"

"Oh well, let's go!" Onnia snapped as she scurried to the gates.

The other two sisters exchanged quick glances before catching up with the first one.

They squeezed through the bars of the iron gates and their heavy tails collapsed behind them, making an audible thump. They looked worriedly to the men guarding the school.

One man looked at them and chuckled. "Look, chameleons! Look, if you kinda squint you can see them!"

Three other men looked and laughed. "They must've heard that there was food at the party and went to steal some!"

The three sisters sighed with relief and scuttled off to the walls.

Through the shorter, well trimmed, grass, they made it easily getting their so it looks like they were gliding over the grass. They saw a man tapping at the walls curiously. "It's the weirdo headmaster!" Onnoria hissed in alarm, stopping.

Dr. Bloor was saying, "Well, you all managed to make a crack, or is it just one of you?" He seemed very angry. Then he looked excited. "Good, good…" he muttered quietly.

"LET US OUT!" Charlie Bone was yelling furiously.

Dr. Bloor looked at Charlie with surprise. "You're still here? I thought you were dead! I thought you were _expelled_!"

"Looks like your plan of killing me has failed!" Charlie barked.

Olivia stood next to Charlie, holding his left hand firmly as if to show that she was on his side. Emma and Tancred were holding on to each other, just in case of something bad happened.

Lysander and Lauren were doing the same and Fidelio was holding on to Charlie's shoulders. "You don't scare us!" Fidelio yelled.

Millions of voices erupted and they were all like, "I'm not scared of you!" or "You crazy old coot!" or perhaps "I HATE YOU!" or even "I'M GOING TO DIE IN HERE!"

"Shut up all of you, you all make me sick, your kind!" Dr. Bloor scowled. He spit onto the ground and wiped his mouth, walking off as everyone glared at him.

If that wall wasn't there, everyone would've been attacking him, tearing his limbs out.

"Well you're not a talented person like all of us! If it was you against one of us one of us would win!" Ben shouted, losing his temper.

Dr. Bloor spun around, looking grim. "Oh really? How about someone else, hmm? So it will be fair, and we'll pull out two so there would be a second while I'll be the other's second, deal? Okay, deal."

"Is this a good idea Ben?" asked Charlie nervously.

"I don't really know; it depends on the person's endowment." Ben said, already regretting what he said. He could actually cause someone's death, either way! If only you readers could feel the shame hanging on him…poor Ben…Moment of Silence for him… (No, he did not die)

Dr. Bloor motioned to someone, Charlie couldn't see but Emma flinched so badly, that Tancred gripped her closer to him in alarm.

Out of the shadows, Mrs. Leah Johnson appeared, looking ebilly happy. "Well, I would like to pick out two names from this hat."

She pulled out a piece of paper and smiled even wider. "Jessica Johnson…or in other words, Jessie Johnson."

Then, as if there was a magnet that only pulls Jessie, Jessie glided through the walls, looking frightened and shuddered uncontrollably.

Dr. Bloor pulled out a piece of paper. "Antonio Remora…"

Then Antonio glided after Jessie, looking bemused and worried.

Antonio and Dr. Bloor were chained (just in case) to the ground and were geld there until their partner were either dead or badly injured.

Jessie faced her mother who smiled. "So what are you going to do, hmm?" asked Mrs. Johnson, circling around her daughter.

"Nothing," Jessie replied sourly.

The three sisters of Onoria stood there, looking absolutely horrified.

Billy and Dannielle gripped each other, shaking badly. Olivia held them close to her and Charlie. Tancred and Emma moved up to them, looking transfixed at the battle. Ben _really_ regretted what he had done.

"What have I done?" he asked, feeling guilty.

"No, it's supposed to happen, Jessie knows that." Emma said, trying to sound calm.

"How?"

Emma didn't reply; she just dug her head closer to Tancred, feeling like her stomach turned upside-down. She felt very sick, and she didn't like to see anything gory, that's just sick and gross and sad.

Tancred stroked her head, feeling sick himself.

Charlie and Olivia firmly held their grip. Dannielle and Billy turned away, not wanting to see any of it, they're still young and seeing gory and deathly things at that age isn't good for you. Nightmares would freak them out and they won't be able to sleep at all.

"Nothing, huh? So you would rather stand there and be killed rather than fight for your life? I knew you were always a softie." Mrs. Johnson taunted.

"Jessie, don't listen to her!" Antonio shouted.

Jessie darted her eyes to Antonio and then back at her mother who had stopped pacing. "Who's that? Your boyfriend? Pathetic." Mrs. Johnson laughed, making Jessie loathe her even more.

"Think about three more years! Then you'll be free!" Antonio shouted.

Jessie pretended she didn't hear him. She gritted her teeth. "Shut up,"

"What's that? What did you say? I couldn't hear you because I'm too busy laughing at you and your pathetic life!" Mrs. Johnson said, cackling.

"SHUT UP!!" Jessie roared.

"Oooh, I'm _so_ scared!" Mrs. Johnson said sarcastically.

"You should be." Jessie said under her breath so that only she could hear it.

Mrs. Johnson shifted to the right and so did Jessie, it's better if they're in front of you instead of right beside you.

"Come out and play, or are you scared even to play?" asked Mrs. Johnson, grinning as she knew her painful words weigh her daughter down, letting her guard down.

Jessie narrowed her eyes as tears leaked out, slowly rolling down her cheek.

"Awww….is the baby crying because it's little mum won't let her play? GROW UP!!!" Mrs. Johnson shouted gleefully.

Dr. Bloor laughed as Mr. Tower's class and many other people went, "Ouch." or "Burn." or "She just got _served_!"

"You are a very stupid girl, you know that? You can't even attack!" said Mrs. Johnson, laughing.

She turned her back around, assuming that her daughter wouldn't dare attack because she feared her so.

"You see, this will be easy to see who loses and who will win."

Then as she turned around, Jessie leaped and used her long and sharp nails to scratch.

Mrs. Johnson yelped as she and Jessie tumbled to the ground, rolling and punching and scratching each other's eyes out.

"JESSIE! JESSIE! JESSIE!" The World Endowed chanted, watching the fight as if it was a football match against the New York Giants and the Oklahoma Cowboys.

People pressed their faces against the walls to get a better look. Some daren't look as they fear of gory images in their heads while they go to sleep.

Dannielle was crying silently into Billy's shoulders as Billy wiped his tears away from his face as he buried his head in Dannielle's hair.

Olivia held them closer and held Charlie's hand even harder that it got sweaty and red.

"She's…she's going to make it!" Charlie said, examining the odds.

"Emma, she's going to make it!" Tancred said, trying his best to cheer Emma up.

"She is?" Emma lifted her head and smiled a little bit. "Maybe the author was wrong…" Emma said. (No, not me, yes, true, I am the author of this story but I don't own COTRK, but she meant another author…you know who?)

Jessie scratched many bloody scratches on her mother's face and in return she had received many bruises and a black eye.

"You never act like you love me! Dad doesn't act like he loves me! You all never care for me!" Jessie screeched.

"STOP!" Mrs. Johnson screamed, putting her hands in front of her face. "Stop!" She sobbed.

Jessie wanted to keep attacking but she obeyed cautiously.

"You're r-right!" Mrs. Johnson cried. "I…I don't know w-what came o-over me!!!!"

Everyone froze, stunned. No one expected that to happen. Irony.

Jessie stood there, showing no mercy, although her face softens slightly. "Mom?" she asked weakly.

"I NEVER W-WANTED TO BE L-LIKE THIS!!!!!" Mrs. Johnson shrieked. "I HAVE A-ALWAYS LOVED YOU!"

With those words, Jessie let her guard off and patted her mother, although her eyes were alert. "Mom, it's okay…it's okay…" Jessie's eyes darted to Antonio's eyes, wondering what she will do.

Antonio just shook his head and Jessie stood up, stepping back. "Mom…you can always withdraw…I do… I also forgive you."

She turned around to walk away, finding the President's daughter since she's not under control…or is she?

"Jessie, BEHIND YOU!" Antonio hollered.

Jessie turned and screamed. Emma and Olivia turned their heads tearfully away. Charlie and Tancred just stood there in awe and fear.

Mrs. Johnson was panting deeply; sweat rolling quickly down her red face. Her eyes were red and ebil like.

Jessie took one look at her mother and collapsed with a dagger sticking out of her back. Double irony…

Many people looked away, looking disgusted and sorrowful. Emma was crying silently into Tancred's chest as Olivia looked down at her feet crying audibly.

Charlie looked away; he couldn't handle the scene anymore. Ben was feeling _**VERY **_guilty and sad. Billy wasn't at all looking, he dug his head further into Dannielle's pretty hair and Dannielle was sobbing, looking down. Fidelio looked away sadly as he shed a single tear. Gabriel was staring at the ground, tears rolling down his cheek. Tancred was still stroking Emma's hair but he was looking down, forebodingly. Lysander was also looking forebodingly; he gripped Lauren and cried silently. Lauren was shaking with horror as she clutched onto Lysander. Everyone was watching with horror of course, but the worst was Antonio, he was pulling on the chains, and yelling.

He wasn't crying but it was evident that he was furious. Everyone was but mostly miserable and blue.

Mrs. Johnson looked at her daughter's corpse and laughed ebilly. "She wasn't even worth being owned." She spat.

"You monster!" Emma yelled, turning her head and glaring at Mrs. Johnson. "You should be ashamed! That last thing Jessie said to you was 'I forgive you' and that was to you! And what did you do? YOU KILLED HER!!!" Emma sobbed, falling to her knees miserably. "YOU MONSTER!" Emma screeched.

"You don't DESERVE to live either!!!!" Olivia shrieked, pounding on the walls helplessly.

Charlie felt so confused, hurt, furious, depressed…the worst feeling you could feel beside great guilt. "_**ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**_" Charlie shouted with anger. The voice bounced violently around the green dome.

Fidelio looked around, seeing multiple cracks forming. "Charlie!" he yelled. "Your voice! Keep on shouting!"

Charlie didn't hear Fidelio, he just screamed. "_**WHY ME?!?! ALWAYS THERE'S SOMETHING HORRIBLE GOING ON!!!!! IT'S LIKE THERE'S NOTHING RIGHT! IT'S LIKE THAT EVERY SINGLE FREAKING EVIL WITCH IS HERE, THERE' THE END TO THE FREAKING WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**_"

A few endowed looked up at the walls which were breaking. By the rings of the bells at midnight, the walls cracked a huge hole at the top. "NO!!!!" Dr. Bloor yelled anxiously. "Not him! He's just a stupid picture traveler!"

Charlie, unfortunately and fortunately, heard those words and roared, "_**SHUT UP!!!!!!**_"

Then the dome fell apart. Everyone ducked and covered their heads, coughing violently.

Dr. Bloor backed up and fled to the safety of his school/home. Mrs. Johnson just hissed and faded to be a shadow of a tree.

Charlie grabbed Olivia's hand even tighter as the pieces of the green dome fell on top of them. "Come on! We have to save Natasha Obama!" Charlie yelled.

Olivia nodded her head and they struggled to stand up. They ran like the wind to Bloor's, feeling their heart thumping ferociously. Apparently, the rest of the Bloor Endowed Group heard and followed. Some of the others joined but everyone from Bloor's who is endowed went.

Asa, who had already turned to a werewolf, ran in front so he took the lead with Billy and Dannielle riding on his back. Emma had turned to a tollroc, her favorite bird, and flew right above Olivia and Charlie. Tancred and Lysander ran behind Charlie and Olivia as Gabriel and Ben ran beside Charlie and Olivia as Fidelio rode on his sound wave (a trick he learned how to do when experimenting one day). Joshua was riding with Fidelio and the Branko twins had levitated themselves and floated around, showing no emotion as always.

When they reached the gates, Charlie stopped. Asa turned around so he was facing Charlie. "Why are we stopping?" asked Billy.

"Them!" Charlie yelled joyfully.

Onnora, Onnia, and Onnastia stepped out from the shadows. Tancred looked quizzically at Charlie. "Who are they and why do they look so familiar?"

"Those are Mrs. Onimous' sisters." Charlie replied.

"How do we know they aren't controlled?" asked Dannielle.

"Good point…what day did you three arrive?" asked Charlie to the sisters.

"The day when you were saving Blossom the Bird and when you switched the table numbers up." the three sisters said together in a chorus.

"That's them alright." Charlie said to the others. "Are you here to help us?"

"We're here to tell you something, have you heard about Elliot?" Onnia asked.

"No, why?" asked Lysander.

"He was poisoned. He died tonight. He held the Prophecy of Seth. It wasn't supposed to be like that but someone added another stanza and dipped it with something deadly." Onnastia said solemnly.

"Oh...I always knew he was horrible but I actually feel sorry for him…" Olivia said.

"You must hurry! The President's daughter is held captive in Manfred's office. They turned the windows to rubber and locked the door!" Onnora said quickly.

"What's her endowment?" asked Gabriel.

"She's telekinetic." said Onnastia.

"Be careful, there are guards all around!" Onnia warned.

Charlie looked at Ben. "Ben, you can go invisible and we'll all have to hold on! Ben, can you make all of us invisible?"

"I don't know, I can try though." Ben said nervously.

Charlie gripped Ben's arm and Ben focused on invisibility. His head was invisible so far then after a while, he and Charlie were unseen.

Charlie tapped Olivia and Olivia held out her arm for Charlie to grab. She too became undetectable. After five minutes or so, they were all holding onto each other and are undetectable.

They made their way to the door and slipped in, careful enough so that the guards didn't see them.

In the main hall, seven headmasters and headmistresses were pacing around, looking nervous. _At least there are still a lot of headmasters and headmistresses that are good!_ Charlie thought as he and the group inched to the corridor at the edge of the eastern staircases.

Sometimes one or two of them would be visible but they will always urgently turn back to invisible. When they were standing right in front of a bookcase, Charlie reached out to pull out a book. Nothing happened. "I forgot which book!" Charlie whispered, looking around to see if any teachers were in earshot or the whisper.

Someone reached out to pull on a book, a velvet one, and the bookcase flew open, revealing the horrorstricken face of Sasha Obama.


	27. The Rescue

"Who's there?" called Sasha worriedly.

Ben let go of Charlie and everyone immediately turned discernible. "We're here to rescue you." Ben said calmly.

Sasha looked at them suspiciously. "How do I know you're not here to trick me and do me off?"

"Look, the green dome had broken and we're one of the escapers, we're here to take you back to your dad!" Charlie explained.

"How do I know the dome broke and you all are endowed?" she asked.

Ben turned invisible, Emma turned into a hummingbird, Tancred's hair crackled with electricity, Lysander's ancestors could be heard, Billy was talking to a cockroach who was carrying a piece of a cookie, Dannielle was moving the water in the air, Fidelio was crashing the Bloor's family portrait, or at least, the glass of it, and so on…

Sasha was warming up to them, especially when Allie Porter busted through the door.

"I remember you!" she had said.

"Yes, now we have to get you out of here!" Allie said. She looked at Olivia and said, "I know what the Bloor's are going to do! We have to keep Charlie safe!"

So they rushed out without the power of invisibility and rushed up to the highest tower in Bloors, which happens to be the music tower.

In the classroom where Mr. Pilgrim/ Mr. Bone used to teach, they all ran in there. Unfortunately, three guards were waiting for them, armed with a crowbar.

Luckily, Dannielle used her water power and froze them to the ceiling. "Sorry!" she called. "But this is for an important reason!"

Charlie ran to the window and opened it, looking at the gardens. "Yeah, people are there alright…" he said. "They're recovering. Some are trying to get Antonio free."

No reply.

"Guys?" Charlie turned and saw them examining something on a podium. "What is that?"

"The prophecy!" Sasha exclaimed.

Charlie took a closer look when he reached it. At the very bottom, in red ink (or was it blood?) was someone else's scribble.

"Daughter of the State's lead, find her in a time of need, behold this sheet is dipped with death, for the holder meets the Prophecy of Seth…creepy…but why doesn't the handwriting match the rest of the words?" asked Charlie after he read the last stanza.

"Someone did that on purpose…someone wrote on it and dipped it with something…" Emma said slowly, considering the possibilities.

"No one touch it," Charlie commanded.

"What does it mean time's time has a length?" asked Tancred, reading the third stanza.

"I don't really know…" said Charlie, reading over Tancred's shoulder.

"Something… I think it meant…that…your power is just for temporarily…" said Gabriel; reading behind Tancred's other shoulder.

"Yeah…I guess so." Charlie muttered.

He turned back to the window. "Hey guys…what do we do now? What are the Bloor's doing anyway?"

Allie said, "The ice sculpture, the everlasting one, the Bloor's want it because there's a special power to it. Only the most powerful child that is endowed can trigger the mighty power."

"Isn't the mighty power love?" asked Lysander, remembering the power last time.

"Um…yes, but when I meant mighty, I meant the mightiest offensive power…you know, like torture or murder, something like that…" Allie said, pacing slowly.

Inez or Ineth gave each other looks and one of them spoke up, startling everyone. "The power is Loss."

"What? Loss? As in losing someone or losing an item?" asked Charlie from the window.

"Losing someone," one of the twins muttered.

"How are they going to…"Charlie stopped. "They're not going to use it on our parents or relatives, are they?" he asked nervously.

"They might," One of the twins said grimly.

"They might not," the other said bleakly.

"That doesn't help," Charlie said timidly, looking at the full moon which was shining brightly.

The moon helped him think…Olivia's head then shot up. How could she forget?

"Charlie, why did you mistaken your uncle's name that one night you visited me?" Olivia whispered.

Charlie looked at her, confused. "What do you mean? I didn't visit you at night!"

"You didn't? Shapeshifters…" Olivia muttered.

"Sorry about that," a voice said from the doorway.

Onnora was standing there. "I didn't want you to worry but I messed up with the names…"

"It's okay…" Olivia said weakly.

"We need help, how are we going to defeat the Bloor's?" asked Fidelio.

"Destroy the statue." Onnora said, giving Allie a look of apology.

Allie, however, did look sad but she knew it was for the best.

"It's everlasting, strong like a diamond, how are we going to destroy it?" asked Allie.

"That, I don't know…" Onnora said, shaking her head.

"Well, we'll have to figure it out!" Charlie said. "They might use our parents against us!"

"How long do we have until then?" said Dannielle. "My parents are all the way back in Italy!"

"I thought you lived in-" Billy started.

"I was staying at my aunt's that time," Dannielle said quickly. "But I still worry for them, what are we waiting for? We have to think!"

"We can send it to space," Ben said.

"We could bury it 60 feet down in the ground." said Joshua.

"Drop it in a volcano?" suggested Olivia.

"Drop it in the sea?" Emma said.

"Send it to the North Pole!" Tancred said.

"I like the idea about the burying it. It will be easy since we have an elemental manipulator." said Charlie. "But the volcano makes it impossible to go in and fetch it without hurting yourself. It has to be active, right? There's one in Yellowstone in America, Manfred said he will NEVER go to America ever again!"

"Unless if he's forced to." said Ben. "But I like the volcano too."

"Who votes for volcano?" asked Onnora.

Everyone but Fidelio, Gabriel, Sasha, Lysander, Billy, and Dannielle raised their hands.

"Volcano it is then." Onnora said, counting the hands.

Charlie looked behind Onnora and yelled, "Behind you!"

Onnora looked behind her and yelped. "Alright, volcano it is!" Dr. Bloor snarled, gagging Onnora. She fell to the ground, making an odd choking sound. Where are her sisters when she needed them?

Her hands and feet were tied up. Charlie and the others ran. Charlie, Olivia, and Billy ran right, Tancred, Emma, and Dannielle ran to the window, Lysander, Ben, Fidelio, and Sasha leaped behind the grand piano, Joshua, Asa, the twins, and Dorcas (hey, I said ALL the Bloor's endowed, didn't I? Well, she didn't turn good yet but she' doesn't really want her parents to die)

Manfred and some other heads ran in, seizing the kids. A man grabbed Charlie by the shoulders. Olivia leapt for him but she got caught midair by a woman.

Charlie tried to bite the man's hand but his teeth couldn't reach the hands. "We've got a biter!" the man yelled rapidly.

Emma formed into a beautiful black crow and circled the room, trying to think up a plan. But how could she? So much commotion, it's difficult to think when there's danger! How could war generals handle the pressure? _Years of practice._ Emma thought bitterly. _I need years of practice if I want to think up a quick plan during a battle of such._

"Someone catch that darned bird!" Dr. Bloor yelled, pointing up at Emma.

"Emma, go out the window!" Charlie yelled, trying to avoid the man's hand that was after Charlie's mouth. "GO GET MY…" Charlie's mouth was covered, but just temporarily. "GO GET MY UNCLE!!!!" Charlie shouted with all of his might when he got the chance.

Emma screeched to let him know she understood. She dived to the open window and passed through just before Dr. Bloor closed it.

He cursed and got three men to follow him downstairs. "We can't let that bird get out of our sights!" he roared.

"But we just did." said a tall and skinny man.

"Did I ask for your opinion? No…" Dr. Bloor scowled.

"It's not an opinion, it's a fact." said another man who was short and a bit pudgy.

"Okay, okay, it's a fact, just let it go, Theodore!" Dr. Bloor said, defeated.

He and the other three got out just in time to see Emma flying towards Charlie's house.

"After her!" Dr. Bloor said in renewed energy.

The three men ran to a nearby green car and the tall lanky one climbed to the driver's seat.

"Hey, you don't have a license!" the short man said sourly. "Let me drive!"

"I do _too_ have a license!" he barked.

"You fools, go, GO!" Dr. Bloor barked back, shoving them in. "I don't care who drives, just go!"


	28. Escape

Emma searched Charlie's house by looking through the windows. Most of them were covered by curtains. When she looked into the living room window, she looked closer with interest.

"So the fake three were right about the wall?" Grandma Bone was saying sharply to her three sisters who nodded grimly.

"At least, that's what we had heard, Grizelda." said Eustacia in a sharp voice.

There was a short silence. The silence was interrupted by the cut thrill of the phone. Grandma Bone leaned over and gripped the phone, looking at the caller ID. "It's Harold," she said, looking eager. "Good news I assume?" she asked on the phone.

Slowly, her wrinkled face fell into a scowl. "What?" she barked. "I'll have you know that he's a pathetic boy, how could he do such a thing?"

Grandma Bone's sisters exchanged confused glances and then a look of terror had stricken. "You don't mean…" Venetia mouthed to Grandma Bone, whose face was hard to read at this time. She continues to listen, not believing what just happened.

The only person who knew what was going on was the aged clairvoyant.

Grandma Bone scowled at the phone. "Well then, find her! I'll go look upstairs with Eustacia, Lucretia and Venetia will cover the lower floor! Good day!"

"Well, actually, it's midnight…" Dr. Bloor said weakly through the receiver.

"I don't care what time of day it is, all we have to do is find the…" Grandma Bone had looked up through the window and she gaped at the little black crow. "I found her…" Grizelda whispered.

_**Back at Bloors…**_

__The people who were trying to capture the kids had succeeded. They spent much of their time trying to hunt down Ben, who was crouched up on a bookshelf. The ebil people were about to give up when they little sneeze.

Charlie and his friends were carried by the scruff of their neck to a dim and moist area. The cobblestone walls were lined with torches and rusty old chains.

"What is this, the dungeon?" asked Tancred roughly.

"Yes," said the man carrying him.

Tancred looked surprised. He was just being sarcastic, that's what all Tancreds' do! Being sarcastic…and complain a lot.

"I didn't know they had dungeons." said Olivia, looking around with her eyes.

"Then you're not very bright, are you?" a blonde woman snarled.

Charlie felt like leaping at her and punching. He smiled as he tried to imagine him saving Olivia, defeating the lady who made fun of Olivia. He let out a chuckle and then he was tossed violently across the hard, wet floor.

"Hey!" he yelled angrily. All he did was laugh! It turns out that they reached their cells.

He listened as everyone else was tossed in. "Oh no, they're going to ruin my dress!" Olivia pouted.

"Stop your whining." the lady scowled.

There was a loud squeak and the door of the cell was being shut. Charlie grabbed the bars of the door and shook them. "Please, we need to get out of here and save our friend!"

"Why would we let you out? We're being paid here." a man said, laughing deeply.

"We can pay you too!" Charlie blurted.

"Yeah right, you're just a bunch of kids, what will you pay us? Graham crackers? No wait, _diapers_!" a big fat man said in mock excitement.

Charlie kicked the door, only to stumble back and cry, "OW!!"

"Aww…did the wittle baby hurt his wittle, wittle, baby fweet?" asked the woman in a mock baby voice, laughing afterwards.

Charlie didn't turn around to look at the other's reactions but he knew without looking that they were ready to pounce if it hasn't been for that stupid door.

Then he had an idea. "Are you all endowed?' he asked in a curious voice, hoping he sounded curious enough.

"What if we say yes?" asked a bald man.

"And what if we said no?" asked a black haired woman, smirking at the rest of her gang.

"I'm a kid, okay? A twelve year old kid. We kids get fussy when it comes to boredom. We need entertainment!" said Charlie, sounding excited.

He cast a look at the others which looked like a 'Guys, you need to play along or we'll never get out of here!' look.

Olivia, obviously, jumped up and yelled, "I WANT TO SEE SOMEONE FLY!"

"No," said a short plump woman sternly.

Tancred jumped up next to Charlie. _Great! Tancred's always good at complaining and protesting! _Charlie thought happily. _I better not tell Tancred that…_

"I need some hairspray! My hair is too loose, I want it stiff!" he shouted, pointing at his hair.

A few people jumped back when his hair crackled madly. "Oh, and if it's not stiff enough, it will shock people hard enough for them to be paralyzed, but no pressure." Tancred said seriously.

"I don't believe you." said a bearded man gruffly.

Immediately, Tancred's hair crackled even more madly like it had misbehaved. Tancred shot Olivia a quick look with his eyes and back so the adults didn't notice but Olivia did. The lightning struck Olivia (lightly) and she gave a heart-piercing shriek as she fell to the ground, immobilized.

The only thing that moved was her eyes. She was so good that the adults backed away quickly, stuttering.

"We'll go get some hairspray…" the bearded man said weakly.

"No wait, I have some in my purse!" the blonde lady said hurriedly. She tossed it to Tancred and said rapidly, "Hurry up or I'll take it back before you can say, 'I need hairspray!'!"

Then Olivia jumped up, smiling as Tancred took the hair spray back at the very end of the cell, grinning.

"Thieves!" the blonde woman screamed as she rattled the bars.

"But you _gave _it to him, remember?" said Charlie, laughing.

"Relax Teresa, we can just stroll merrily in and get it." said the black haired woman, shooting a hateful glare at Tancred.

"I'm warning you, I cab actually shock anyone whenever I want!" Tancred warned.

"And whenever he doesn't…" Charlie muttered.

"Yeah, and beside, we have a hound dog behind us, you just didn't see it earlier and one of us is an animal speaker so he'll attack whenever we tell him to!" Olivia snapped.

"Show us," the bald man sniffed.

Olivia looked behind her and kneeled down, saying, "Here boy, come here," She whistled but no dog. The adults laughed but they stopped laughing when they heard a low grunt and a huge hound stride near Olivia. The dog looked at the grown ups and barked. The bark carried down the eerie corridor and around corners.

Charlie admitted he was impressed…but he needed to think up a plan. "What do we do with the hairspray?" asked Charlie in a hushed voice.

"I don't know, use it to our advantage?" said Tancred, walking up to the bar, holding the spry up and smiling ebilly.

"What are you planning to do with that?" asked Teresa suspiciously.

Tancred laughed. "Oh, you'll find out now." He sprayed it and Teresa backed up, tears welling in her eyes.

"Oh, oh!" she gasped tearfully. "I need water!"

A man grabbed a wooden bucket from a well a few yards away and splashed some in on her face, removing most of her make-up.

"More, more!" she yelled, grabbing the bucket and dumping it on her.

"Tancred!" Dannielle said disapprovingly. "You can't go do that! That was cruel."

"Yes, I know, I'm sorry…" said Tancred, not feeling sorry at all.

Dannielle raised an eyebrow. "Whatever you say storm boy," she said as everyone around her (excluding the adults) laughed.

Tancred rushed up to the door and held it up. Dannielle automatically said, "No!"

The adults ran off, leaving the endowed in their cell. "I knew they would run off. After seeing what happened to that Teresa they won't be bothering us anymore…for now." he said grimly. He held it up to his own hair and sprayed, stinking up the place with that fragrance of all hairspray.

"I think I know what his room smells like…" coughed Fidelio, fanning the aroma away from his nose. "It's so strong; it'll damage your nose Tanc."

"My room doesn't smell like that, does it Sander?" asked Tancred defensively.

Lysander went, "It does a bit…"

"Well! My best friend, not even standing up for me! Oh that's real nice!" Tancred said sarcastically.

"Come on, let's use our endowment or break this…or at least Danielle can make a key out of the earth and shape it!" said Charlie, looking at Dannielle hopefully.

"I could try." said Dannielle, stepping back hesitantly. She reached down and, with amazed viewers, grabbed a chunk of the hard floor out as if it was sand, nothing more. Charlie and the other looked at the hole Dannielle made and gaped at her.

"Wow…I wish I'm an Elemental Manipu…something." said Ben, looking eagerly at the lock.

Dannielle fitted the stone into the lock. The stone was shaping itself when Dannielle jammed it in. She let go and the stone (which looked like liquid at first and now stony) seemed to harden. Charlie turned it and the door swung open with a creak. "Woo! Let's get out of here!" Olivia whooped.

They made a run for the exit but only to end up in dead ends or ran around in circles. "We'll never get out of here!" Billy said.

Minutes passed and everyone was exhausted and drowsy. "Is it morning yet?" asked Lysander, yawning. Everyone was slumping so they didn't look as stunning as they were at the dance. They groan when they see a flight of stairs, they sigh in relief when they see light but moan when it was nothing but a torch, they scream when they found bats, they argue when they reach forks, pretty much everything.

"LIGHT!" Fidelio would shout. Everyone would look up excitedly only to be laughed at. He only yelled that so everyone would wake up.

_**Minutes Later…**_

__"We…have to…keep…going…" Fidelio panted, falling to the filthy ground. "Ohh dear Lord…why?"

"I'm so sleepy…" Olivia moaned.

"Come on you guys…Billy, can you talk to those ants down there and see if they know the way out?" asked Charlie wearily.

"Oh so _now _you think up a plan." Tancred gasped as they ran up a flight of stairs.

"Hey, we're all sleepy and it just popped up…" Charlie said as he collapsed onto the floor upon him.

Ben looked up. "Is living a good thing?" he asked.

"Ben, you are so random!" Olivia gasped.

"No really, is it really worth living?" asked Ben.

"Ben, really, think about the opportunities you could get later on so hang on, okay?" said Charlie, helping Billy up for he was kneeling over, gasping horribly.

"I think…it is…it's worth it…" Ben muttered as he stumbled clumsily over to a place. "Oh holy crow…"

"Crow isn't holy." Tancred retorted. They laughed weakly but then Gabriel made a choking sound.

"It hurts my throat." he said hoarsely. They haven't had anything to drink in hours, let alone something to drink. All they had armed was their power and one can of hair spray (make that one-half as Tancred kept on fixing his hair).

Tancred walked up to Ben and started to ask about the 'holt crow' thing until he saw something in the distance.

"Holy _crap_…" he croaked.

"Poop isn't holy Tanc," Charlie laughed softly.

Everyone made a laughing sound, followed by a few coughs, and caught up with the rest eagerly. "Oh…man…" Charlie murmured, eyes growing wide.

They finally stumbled across an exit! "VICTORY!" Lysander said happily.

"This calls for a funny short song," Olivia said, grinning at Charlie as he grinned back.

"Okay, shoot," Gabriel replied, jumping into the air.

"It's pimple related so…:

_Bad pimple, bad pimple_

_Whatcha gonna do?_

_Watchca gonna do when Proactiv comes for you?_

"What's proactiv?" asked Dannielle.

"Proactive is a solution that helps gets rid of pimples." said Olivia, laughing at the song.

"Here's a good one," Charlie said suddenly.

_We will, we will, pop you_

_Bust you_

_Place some proactiv on you!_

_Poke you with a needle,_

_Just 'cause you're illegal!_

(In the from of 'We will, we will, rock you!) "Nice!" laughed Fidelio.

They walked out to the gardens and found many people still there, talking and pulling out their phones to call for help.

Already, ambulances and police cars were lined up at the sidewalk. "Right…" a police chief said, rolling his eyes. "And you all have a magical power…right…"

"It's true!" an Italian girls said angrily. "I'm a mind reader and I can prove it to you. Ask me what your biggest secret yet!"

"What's my biggest secret?" he asked, not caring.

"Either wetting your pants yesterday or arriving at a public swimming pool forgetting your swimming trunks." said the girl hotly.

"You! So you're the one who was stalking me! You don't happen to work for anyone in enemy lines, do you?" he asked roughly.

"Oh for Pete's sake," Tancred cried out loud. "I'll show you my talent."

He marched up to the officer and looked him in the eye. Then his blonde hair crackled with purple electricity and a huge black rain cloud formed out of nowhere on top of the chief's head, thundering.

The man looked up, looking stunned. Then Ben walked up, visible, then invisible. Again, the police was shocked and speechless. The Italian girl nodded her head with displeasure at the chief. "I told you I do not lie!" She walked away, looking victorious as the police chief looked defeated.

"Alright…I'll…I'll call for back-up…" he said weakly as he saw water fly above his head while Billy was talking in duck language.

_**Back to Emma…**_

__Emma flew off, now knowing that Mr. Yewbeam is not home. "It's like searching for Alice Angel all over again!" she squawked wearily. She flew over to the top of a random building and searched. _Nothing at the northern part of town. Nothing in south, nope, not east, west…he has to be here! _Emma thought as she flew around in an enormous circle.

After ten full long minutes of searching, she gave up and rested on top of a building with plenty of lights. "Now what?" she asked herself in a bird's voice. She looked around and saw no one looking her way so she turned to her own self again, lying down.

"I can't do anything…" she muttered. She then heard a familiar voice and sat up, peering down below. She gasped as she saw her aunt and Paton, Mr. and Mrs. Bone, and Mr. and Mrs. Onimous, laughing as they exit the building which turned out to be a restaurant.

Emma jumped and twisted, forming into a tollroc and landed right in front of them, gazing happily at them.

"My, I have never seen a magnificent bird like this!" Mrs. Onimous exclaimed, picking Emma up and stroking the back of Emma's head.

"It's a tollroc! It's my Emma! What is she doing here?" asked Julia as she rushed over to look.

Emma flew off and turned to her self and said rapidly, "Come on, I need to show you something!"


	29. The Explosion

"No, no! She MURDERED her own daughter!" Charlie was saying to a detective as the detective was constantly interrupting. Charlie preferred to talk to Ben's parents, as they are detectives too.

"And this is a…Mrs. Johnston?" said the detective sharply as he scribbled some words down on his pad.

"Mrs. Johnson," Charlie said for the umpteenth time with a tinge of annoyance. Do adults _ever_ listen to children? Well they should, and that's what Charlie had thought.

"It was a sword, correct?" the detective asked, looking up for the first time from his notebook.

"Dagger," Charlie said wearily as he eyed the man's face. "Hey, do I know you?" Charlie asked suddenly.

"I'm asking the questions here, son." the man snapped.

"Okay, okay, I was just curious." said Charlie defensively.

"And you're saying that Dr. Harold Bloor built this force field and kidnapped the President' daughter?"

"That's correct!" Charlie said, surprised. _He actually got that right!_ Charlie thought.

"I see…okay, thank you, I'll let you know if there are any more questions I need to-"

"Okay, I get it now go." said Charlie. "You have to figure this out and I'm wasting your valuable time."

The man nodded, pleased that Charlie was smart at least once, and marched to Lysander who held Lauren's hand tightly.

"Charlie, CHARLIE!"

Charlie turned to see his parents and Paton running along the curb of the sidewalk. They stopped near the gates and motioned Charlie to come and explain. They couldn't go any further because of the police tapes. "What happened?" asked Paton hurriedly. He looked pale and panicked.

Charlie took a few deep breaths and told them everything, from the dance, to the force field forming, to the death of Jessica (Jessie) Johnson, to the dungeon, to the escape, and the private investigators roaming around the building along with the police officers, searching for any clues.

His voice shivered when the story reached to Jessie's death. He looked back and saw that medics were kneeled over the poor girl's body, examining the stab.

Mrs. Bone gasped and she leaned over to hug her son, refusing to let go until Mr. Bone assured her that the danger is all gone.

He was wrong.

_**BAM! BAM! BAM!**_Everyone's heads turned to the school. Many people screamed and many were stunned.

"Not another explosion!" Charlie moaned as he watched the top of the East Wing fly over his heads and into the forest near by.

"What's going on this time?" asked Amy Bone wearily. She dearly wanted to go home, pack up, and leave this place forever but she knew there was no choice nut to stay, she couldn't leave Paton brokenhearted or Charlie upset…that was too much.

"STOP! IN THE NAME OF LAW, I ORDER YOU TO STOP!" The police chief yelled.

Charlie expected the 'explosionist' to be Dr. Bloor or any of the Bloor's…turns out he was way off.

In fact, he didn't really know who set the bo- I mean, explosion but he knew that people in there wasn't going to survive.

Now I can tell you…"There's no way anyone can survive that bomb…" said Mr. Bone weakly as Mrs. Bone cried silently.

"I hope none of my friends were in there…" said Charlie, looking at the gardens.

"No, they're all safe." said a voice behind Paton.

Charlie turned to see a pale faced Emma. "Are you okay, Em?" asked Charlie.

"I'm fine…" she said in a wobbly voice. Her aunt Julia popped up and hugged her niece, looking at Paton sadly.

"Paton…do you think?" she asked in a small voice.

"I hope not…" he said sadly, looking down at his shoes which were now covered with mud and dirt from the running.

"What?" demanded Charlie.

"Cook was in there…the bomb was found in four places, the library, the music tower, Manfred's room, and the kitchen…" said Paton.

"No…" Emma whispered with horror. "No, no, no!"

"Oh no…" Charlie gasped and stared at the remains of the school. He felt like he was back in March, on the day of the Battle of Bloor's, when Mrs. Johnson's twin sister, Miss Gosten, was killed from falling at least 100 feet in the air.

The school was, again, ruined and wrecked. He could see that his dormitory, or at least the remains of it, was bombed off. The music tower has a gaping hole on one side. He saw many bats flying in the air and around in circles above their loved ones that are dead because of the explosion.

"Why would someone do this? Who did it?" asked Julia, mortified.

"Someone cruel," said Mr. Onimous as he and his wife caught up to the rest of them.

Behind them, the Flames strolled to the iron fence that separated Charlie from the others. Aries looked up at the building with sorrow and deep regret, as if it was his fault.

Then the three cats leaped onto the fence and onto Charlie's side.

They walked off to the school quickly. They entered through a little hole that led to the auditorium.

"Emma, I think you will have to go tell a private investigator about this." said Charlie finally. "They're interviewing people who had witnessed and had been held captive in the dome thing."

"Okay…" said Emma quietly as she slipped through the gates, walking to the gardens as she glanced at the ruins of her school.

"Now what?" asked Charlie.

"We wait. You go on and see if Cook's alright, we'll go and get Ben's parents and talk it over." said Paton, waving his hand on. "Just be careful."

"Yes Charlie. Be careful…" Charlie's parents echoed.

"I will…" said Charlie, giving his mother a kiss and his father a huge bear hug. "I love you two…" he murmured.

"We love you too…" said Mr. Bone, letting go.

Charlie stayed until he couldn't see the adults and then he went to find a few of his friends.

He found only Fidelio. "Come on, we have to find out if Cook's okay!" said Charlie urgently.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go!" said Fidelio, urging Charlie to run.

The two boys ran like the wind, carelessly. They squeezed through a broken window and crept through the badly damaged sculpture room. "Dang…" Charlie heard Fidelio mutter. "Dang…"

They went out to the corridor and gaped at the staircases. Some of them were snapped in half and some were part broken. "To the cafeterias!" Fidelio uttered a minute later, dragging Charlie onward.

They didn't need to open the doors to it for it was knocked off its hinges. They busted through the doors to the kitchen and found it a mess. Jars and plates were shattered and spread around the floors and counters. Pots and pans were knocked down and one looked like it had a big dent at the handle. Many silverware were scattered around the floor and the food were squashed and for some that had juice in them, sticky and wet.

Charlie and Fidelio's shoes made the _squish, squish _sound as they walked though the field of squashed food to the closet.

Charlie yanked it open and pulled on a little knob, leading to a narrow pathway lit up by lanterns. But not anymore; many lanterns and candles were put out and dropped on the floor. There were several major cracks in the cobblestone walls and very minor chunks of the stone were knocked off. Every few seconds, handfuls of dust and dirt would fall from above as police officers and detectives were walking above them, unaware that there was a secret passage underneath them as they roamed on.

They then reached Cook's dwelling and it was messier than usual.

After all of that scanning through the books, papers, candles, furniture tipped over, picture frames cracked, and many odd little trinkets and knick-knacks, they gave up hope and sat on the comfortable little maroon couch, crying.

"She was always so kind to us!" Charlie wailed.

"Why must it end this way?" Fidelio asked sorrowfully.

There was a little whining sound from under the coffee table. The two looked down and saw Blessed, whimpering.

"There, there…" Fidelio cooed, lifting the table so Blessed would be able to get out from under it. "Let's get out of here, shall we?"

They carried Blessed out and silently walked out of the school, feeling disheartened.

They found Emma, Olivia, Tancred, Lysander, Lauren, Ben, Gabriel, Billy, Dannielle, Joshua, Asa, and the twins at the same time.

The two boys let go of Blessed and he limped over to Billy who kneeled down and gave him a big old hug.

"We could find her." said Charlie, looking down.

They all bowed their heads, except the twins who, surprisingly, looked a tad confused. "Who was not there?" asked one of them.

"Cook…I think her time is up…" Fidelio said, answering for Charlie.

"What do you mean?" asked the other one. "She is safe."

"How?" asked Olivia, looking up.

"We knew there was a bomb in there, we overheard the guards talking about it. So we went to warn Cook while you guys were locked in the dungeon. She was a little weak at the time so we combined our powers to take her out to the safety of the paramedic people." They said together.

There was a sudden wave of relief and joy as they laughed weakly. They hugged, they whooped, they cheered, they laughed, they cried like there was no tomorrow.

"It's a miracle! Thank you, you very boastful guards!" Tancred said, looking to the gates.

They laughed, except the twins though, they just exchanged quick glances.

"Well…what do we do now? It's like one thirty in the morning…I'm so tired too…" said Olivia, yawning. "But the adventure isn't over yet…"

"True… we'll have to wait and see." said Charlie.

"Let's hope another explosion doesn't happen." said Emma.

"Let's make sure Emma doesn't place a curse or a jinx on us either!" said Dannielle, poking Emma playfully.

Too late…


	30. The TypoFree Chapter AKA, 'Hurry'

It was a nightmare!

The group looked up in horror as they saw, yet another explosion, and also a huge cloud of strange orange dust.

The orange dust rained on the enormous group of people in the gardens, including the adults. Charlie and the rest of the world's endowed children bent down and coughed violently. "What is…that?" Charlie coughed.

Bloodcurdling screams filled the sandy air and Charlie looked up in time to see a figure standing at the very top of Bloor's, which is surprisingly still there.

Charlie received a blast of dirt into his eyes and he turned away automatically rubbing them as tears of pain welled in his red eyes. "You've got to be…kidding me!" Charlie said rapidly as he could before a sandstorm flew into his mouth.

"Charlie!" Charlie heard Olivia scream. "CHARLIE!"

Charlie was about to turn to the direction of her voice but then something hard hit him on the head. He got knocked to the ground, dizzy and (obviously) harmed. He struggled to sit up but the last thing he saw was a cackling face…and then the darkness began to swell in…and then he was gone…

He wasn't gone forever, no, just knocked out temporarily. Olivia was standing up and running towards the figure that had injured him, possibly Charlie got concussion, and leaped onto him or her. It was a 'her'.

"Get off of me!" the woman screeched as she dug her sharp nails into Olivia's skin.

Olivia yelped with pain and she slid off as if the woman's back was glazed with slime. She squinted through the orange dust and saw her arm, mildly bleeding. Olivia wiped part of it away and attempted to make another jump but then someone caught her in midair and knocked her to the hard ground. Olivia took in deep breaths for the blast had knocked the air out of her.

"No Olivia, we'll have to wait." said Cook as she hurried her away.

"Cook!" Olivia exclaimed when she had finally caught her breath. Then Olivia coughed as bits of the orange dust entered her mouth. "What is this stuff?" she spat.

"It's a spell cast by the Dark Witch." said Cook as she blocked the dust from her eyes.

"Joshua's mom?"

"The very same, love."

"Why? What's going on? Where is everyone? What's going to happen to Charlie?" Olivia blurted out anxiously.

"Charlie's going to be fine, I sent the older boys, Tancred and Lysander, to recover him." answered Cook as she made Olivia sit down behind an oak tree. "Now stay here, don't go anywhere, and whatever you do, don't run into the witch, if you do, I suggest you either play dumb or run."

Cook made sure Olivia nodded, for it was difficult to see, and then she was off, saving others and comforting people who were confused and longed for the safety of their homes. Then Olivia called after her, "But you didn't answer all of my questions!"

Seven other people joined Olivia's shelter in less than five, no, make that three, minutes and they were all shivering with fear and many times, they coughed or whimpered.

"There, there…" said an older boy to a little girl who was crying into his chest. "It's okay Suzy; we'll go home later with Mom and Dad, okay?"

"I wanna go home now Tom!" the little girl-Suzy?-whined. She looked around and turned back, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "Where's Jane?"

The boy-Tom?-looked up with alarm. "Oh no…" he muttered, looking mortified.

"I'm sure Jane is fine," Olivia said to the boy who looked at her, bewildered. "The dust isn't harmful, I hope…"

"Thank you," said Tom nervously.

Olivia nodded before looking back; praying that Charlie was okay and he didn't have any amnesia, for that would be appalling.

Three more people joined the tree shelter and soon enough, a whole group were huddled against the tree, struggling to hold on.

A couple of minutes after the dust, a mini whirlwind appeared out of nowhere and was rushing towards them.

Strong bold winds battled with the ten tree huggers fiercely but none had let go. "OLIVIA!" a voice screamed.

"EMMA!" Olivia yelled, coughing afterwards. "Emma, WHERE ARE YOU?"

"Livvy!" Emma ran to Olivia, panting. "Livvy, there's something horribly wrong, it's Billy! No, it's nothing too major, just a broken bone I think…oh…poor Billy, he got thrown to the gates by the wind! We need your help Liv!" Emma said with a pained look on her face. "And something happened to Tancred and Lysander when they were trying to get Charlie back! Charlie's okay, other than the bruise and bumps on his head but…oh, come on!"

Olivia paused. "Emma…I'm scared!"

Emma looked at Olivia with a surprised look. "What? I thought you were fearless!"

"Actually, when I was little, I had an incident with tornadoes and whirlwinds and stuff…" Olivia choked.

"Here, take my hand!" said Emma, holding her hand out.

Olivia slowly reached for it and closed her eyes. She silently counted to five and then…she let go.

The two girls were hurled a few feet off, yelping. Then Emma got a hold of a tree stump that stuck out of the ground. "Okay, steady now!" she yelled to Olivia who only had Emma's hand to support her.

"I…I can't!" Olivia cried, feeling the warm tears slowly leaking out. "I'm sorry Emma, but I just can't! I'm so hopeless!"

"You are _not_ hopeless Olivia!" Emma cried. "Here, just bend your knees and try to get them flat on the ground!"

Olivia struggled, careful not to slip. She pushed down on her weight and shouted, "Now what?!"

Emma racked her mind for something useful. "Push up on one foot and then the other, one at a time!"

Olivia raised her right leg, being forced back a couple of times, and planted her foot flat on the floor. Sure, it would be much easier if they were wearing jeans and normal clothing but alas, they were dressed for a dance with long dresses or short dresses and high heels, give pity for them…I do.

Olivia went for her left foot and steadied her self. Emma gave her a split-second, quick thumbs-up and the two of them went on, keeping their knees bent for it has a stronger structure than just standing straight like a needle.

"Where are they?" Olivia asked, spitting out her hair when it blew into her mouth while she talked.

"They're over by the north walls!" Emma replied, gritting her teeth.

As they struggled through the raging winds and the panicked people, a hurried shout rang out, referring to the two girls.

"OVER HERE!" Cook yelled.

"I thought they were by the north walls!" Olivia said wearily as they turned around.

"So did I!" said Emma, surprised. "Cook, why did you move?"

The new position was in the forest. The huge trees were blocking some of the wind away and it made a nice canopy but at time to time many branches will give away, luckily there's a force field (created by force field makers) around the injured.

"The north walls were nearly about to collapse and that it did. Now my dears, I need you to tend to the boys while I go and fetch some more wounded." ordered Cook.

She hurried off, leaving the two kneeling over the injured along with many others.

The force field wasn't as sturdy as it was suppose to be, with all of that wind knocking at it. Emma and Olivia could feel strong winds in the field at times, looking up to see the blue field flickering.

Dannielle was there too. She was leaning over Billy who was conscious.

"Are you okay Billy? Do you need water? Food? Pillows?" asked Dannielle anxiously.

"I'm fine Dannielle," Billy croaked. He then laughed a soft laugh. "I have always wondered why people talk so softly and weakly whenever they are hurt or injured…and I still don't know why our bodies do that…

"I mean, every time I try to talk loud, well, whenever I have the strength, my throat hurts badly."

"Well, what did you expect?" asked Dannielle, giving a tired smile. She yawned and rubbed her eyes. "Oh…what time is it? My parents must be worried sick!"

"It's about 2:15 in the morning!" Emma exclaimed. And on cue, Olivia yawned.

Billy was about to nod off when Charlie stirred. "Opposites attract I guess," Olivia has said. Charlie looked up, seeing blurred faces.

"Charlie, how are you? Do you need water, any food? I know I'm starving." said Olivia, patting Charlie on the shoulder gently.

Charlie blinked. "I'm fine Lily, how's Emilia?"

Olivia looked at Charlie with horror but then Charlie laughed. "Don't worry, I fine! Just messing with you Olivia! Hi Emma, hi Dannielle, oh gee, Billy, how are you? What are you in for?"

"I broke my arm." said Billy miserably and tiredly. Then he closed his eyes and, it seems, had drifted off to sleep… maybe.

Charlie looked to the opposite side. "Tancred and Sander too? Man…What happened to them?"

"Tancred, I don't really know…" said Emma anxiously. "But I know that Lysander got a bad scratch on his leg. Oh…poor Lysander…"  
Olivia looked down at Lysander's pants and saw something she hadn't noticed. Blood, lots of it… It was all spread around below his knees. Olivia couldn't see the cut but she knew that it was painful.

Charlie lifted his head and let out a groan. He lowered it a bit and looked at Lysander's injury. "Poor Lysander…" Charlie rested his head on the pillow and then after a few silent moments, he nodded off to sleep.

"Yes…poor him…" murmured Dannielle, Olivia, and Emma after Charlie had fell asleep.

Emma sighed. "Over the last few years, the danger increases…it's always happening to us, isn't it?"

"It is Em, it is." said Olivia solemnly.

"What can we do now?" asked Dannielle. "We're all just kids, we're tired and we're so…desperate right now! We're all desperate to survive this…this…awful event!"

Olivia looked up through the flickering (now yellow) force field. "We're going to hunt down Joshua. We have to make him fight his mom."

Emma and Dannielle grinned but then the smiles vanished. "You're not serious, are you Livvy?" asked Emma, uncertainly.

"Of course I am!" Olivia said, giving Emma strange look.

"Don't you remember what happened last time a person fought their mom?" asked Dannielle, looking away sadly.

"Yes, but…oh, I don't have any other plan!" Olivia said angrily. "Charlie usually makes the plans! Or his…un-…-cle…"

The three girls grew tense and then they slowly looked at each other. "His uncle!" the three exclaimed.

But the three were reluctant to leave the injured but they were still determined so this is what they did. "Should one of us stay here, just in case?" asked Emma in a small voice.

"Yes, just in case." said Olivia. "But who?"

"I'll stay." said Dannielle, gripping Billy's hand tightly. "I don't mind, I rather be here with him…"

Olivia and Emma knew who she meant by 'him' so they gave her a quick hug and departed, quickly throwing their hands above their heads, protecting their faces from the fiery fields.

"Why us? Out of every single unlucky people out there in the world, does it have to be us?" asked Olivia.

"I know! It's like…it's like that we're chosen ones!" Emma laughed weakly as they scurried through the fields of flaming grass. Now the terror event is flaming rocks, actually, it's literally raining fire rocks!

"Yeah!" said Olivia, smiling at Emma wearily. "And it's not like someone is actually recording all of this and putting it in story form!" The two slid to the side, narrowly avoiding a red hot rock. That's when they began to walk fast, very fast.

"Yeah! Imagine someone creating us and putting us in stories!" Emma said, grinning.

"Don't forget about the 'fanfictions' too! Oh boy…that will NEVER happen in a million years!" Olivia said. "I know we're special but we're not THAT special! At least, I AM that special!"

The two threw looks at each other and busted out laughing, and then coughing. "We better get out of here before we suffocate!" gasped Emma.

"Let's run!" Olivia urged.

"In these shoes? I'm afraid to break the heels!" Emma exclaimed. "Besides, we're already walking fast! Isn't that enough?"

A huge chunk of earth hurtling down to them proved Emma's theory wrong. It landed right in front of them and they shrieked, stopping for a while to go around it.

"Then take them off! It's either break them, take them off, or suffocate, your pick, I'm taking them off." said Olivia, hopping one way and then the other, pulling her shoes off. When she succeeded, she grabbed them with her left hand and ran through the muddy garden. Emma hesitated and then followed suit in disgust.

"I'm dead if Auntie found out what I'm doing to my feet…" she muttered as she and Olivia ran alongside each other.

Through the iron gates they go, pass the angry, yelling, cursing guards and barefooted through the streets.

Many people gave them weird looks as they ran through. The looks are either for the rudeness of shoving them as they ran by without apologizing or seeing two girls running barefooted, wearing torn and ruined dresses down the streets.

"I feel so humiliated!" Emma panted as they turned. "And the sharp jagged stones are cutting my feet!"

"Alright…we can take a rest!!" Olivia cried as she stopped abruptly, panting heavily as she clutched her chest. "I don't think I have ever run that fast or that far in my _life_!"

"Come on, at least get walking!" Emma gasped, feeling lightheaded.

"Where are we going? Didn't he go somewhere else?" Olivia asked.

"Hold on…let me think for a while!" Emma said breathlessly. "Yes, I remember! He's at Ben's house, talking with his parents about the explosion!"

Olivia groaned. "What is it?" asked Emma, glancing back at the weary drama queen.

"I just realized! We're going in the wrong direction!"

"How can you tell? The streets are all dim and dark…" said Emma.

"Exactly, look at the street name on that sign over there, by the bench!" said Olivia, pointing to a sign by a bench.

Emma looked over and slapped her forehead. "I feel so much more stupid when it's dark outside…must've run in the family…" she grumbled, turning.

"Where to?" asked Olivia, looking around for a few moments.

"This is…" Emma eyes narrowed to read the sign. "Rose Park Avenue…" she said.

"Rose Park? Already?" said Olivia in surprise. "I thought we were a bit farther away from this place. We're just three blocks away from Filbert Street, not so bad."

"Come on then! Do this for Charlie!" Emma said, grinning slyly at Olivia who grabbed Emma's wrists and dragged her away.

"Come ON Em! We have to do this for Charlie! Oh, and the others." Olivia promised.

"Let's run again," Emma said, accelerating her walking speed.

When Olivia jogged to catch up, Emma ran for it, Olivia hot on her heels (er…holding their heels, to be logical but you all get the point).

"Come on, around this corner and we'll be walking on Filbert Street!" Olivia said excitedly as time passed a few minutes.

As they turned, they saw something that was jaw-dropping, brain-eating, nail-biting, eye-popping, high-jumping, eye-rinsing, foot-kicking, and hair-tearing scene…the good kind though, not bad news…or _is _it…. (Mua hua hua hua ha! Oh…did I type that aloud? Whoops…my bad!)


	31. The Second Part of the Prophecy of Seth

Nah, it's a good thing!

"We're going to win!" Olivia said breathlessly.

"Oh, I know we are!" Emma said, gaping at the people beaming at them.

"Say hello to your new army girls!" Paton said, smiling as he made a signal to the endowed adults who waved.

"Holy crow!" Olivia said.

"Crow isn't holy!" Emma said, laughing.

"So what's the plan?" asked Julia.

"We were hoping you knew." Emma said.

"That's the reason why we're here." said Olivia, solemnly.

"Already, there's an injure tent. Charlie, Tancred, Lysander, Billy, and many others are one of them." said Emma, sadly.

Paton and Mr. Bone exchanged worried looks. "Let's hurry!" cried Mrs. Bone. "I need to go help Charlie!"

It was an incredible sight; you all should've been there! Olivia, Emma, Mr. and Mrs. Bone were in the lead, followed by, what it seems, hundreds of people…how many did Paton say he invited? "A lot," he had replied. Well…that was specific!

_**Ten Really, Really, Long Minutes Later…**_

__Almost there!

_**Two Seconds Later…**_

Nearly there…

_**Five More Seconds Later… (Hurry up Author!)**_

__Okay, okay, they reached Bloor's Academy with leaping hearts. "This is…this is…" stuttered Paton. "This is so horrible! So horrible, I can't find another word to describe it!"

"It's a terrifying, petrifying, bloodcurdling, chilling, shocking, and startling scene." Julia breathed.

"Oh dear…" Mrs. Bone whispered, turning pale. "Oh my…oh…"

Screaming people, yes, anyone dead besides Jessie, no; somehow, people were able to survive! Quite shocking actually but then it would be very cruel to kill innocent children, it's just so wrong!

"Hurry, to the fields! Here, you four come with us!" Emma commanded, getting renewed energy from her veins. When she meant, 'your four', she meant 'Mr. and Mrs. Bone, Paton, and Julia'.

So the six dashed off anxiously, praying that they wouldn't be struck by the ice flung by something huge above Bloors, and so they ran on, panting and huffing for clean, orange dust free air. It was hard for everyone to explain about the huge portal-like thing hovering hundreds of feet in the air. Like most portals, it was swirling and it was blood red.

Lighting shot out and winds picked up, rushing to the panic-stricken kids who shrieked with horror. Olivia looked up at it. "I thought this stuff was science fiction!" she screamed into the filthy air.

"So did I!" Emma screamed back.

They were nearly safe when they entered the now purple force field. Instead of two people holding it on, seven kids were making force fields, holding it the best they can. Sadly, most of them were about seven or eight years old.

Billy, Charlie, Lysander, and Tancred were groggy and muttered nonsense.

Dannielle looked up, looking relieved. "Help at last…" she muttered happily.

Billy eyed them and blurted, "Purple cow eating crazy bumble fish!"

The three girls giggled and the adults smiled jadedly. "What happened to him?" asked Julia, kneeling down to Billy who was uttering softly, "I ride school to play bubble jar with elephant…kiwi's fly in moon…I like moon…the moon is…full!"

"He broke a bone," Emma said hastily.

"Not only that, but he tried to walk on it and bumped his head when I had my back turned on him to comfort Lysander…" Dannielle said, pointing to a lump on Billy's head.

"Oh no…does he have concussion? Amnesia?" asked Olivia nervously.

"He's acting a bit strange but other than that, no." said Dannielle, biting her finger nails.

"What about Charlie?" asked Mrs. Bone, kneeling down to stroke her son's head. "What happened to him?"

There was a silence. The only sound heard were shrieks, war cries, footsteps, and fighting sounds. "The Black Witch knocked him out." Olivia said finally.

"You don't mean?" Paton asked sharply.

"Yes, I mean." said Olivia, looking at Paton who drew his breath sharply.

"No…Mrs. Tilpin…where is she now?"

"We haven't a clue," Dannielle said in a small voice. "All we know is that she caused that red thing to appear and the terrorism too. She's a terrorist, isn't she?"

"She could…she could even do something even more dangerous…" said Paton, pacing back and forth, twitching here and there.

"What is it?" asked Julia, heart pumping tensely.

Paton turned to face her and the others with a serious face. "Nuclear War…" he said, voice breaking up.

"You're kidding me, right?" Olivia said, grinning. When she saw how serious Paton's face was, her grin faded and a look or horror appeared in place. "You're not kidding, are you?" she said weakly, falling to her knees. "How is it possible? She's just a witch!"

"Exactly…" Paton said.

Everyone was silent, wondering what will happen in the future, happy peaceful earth or dead, lifeless earth?

They all looked at the four boys who were murmuring nonsense, including Tancred and Lysander who had woke up when the group of six arrived.

Dannielle made a grabbing movement with her hand in the air, sucking the water from the grass out, and splashed it on them, who sputtered, "Hey!"

"They're not talking nonsense anymore I think." Dannielle said in a false cheery voice.

"What's going on Uncle?" croaked Charlie, raising his arm which shook horribly weakly.

Paton grabbed Charlie's struggling hand and patted it. "Everything's going to be okay, you hear. Don't have false hope, don't even LOSE your hope, everything will be okay…  
"Just remember that we will always love you." Paton finished, smiling.

Charlie nodded, looking a bit confused. "Okay…whatever you say Uncle…"

"I think Charlie has to hear the whole story." said Mr. Bone, "the other three too."

So there it began, the whole story being unraveled, from the orange dust, to the run for rescue, the supposed nuclear war, and it all ended with the words, 'Now it's up to the endowed kids in the world to promote peace and balance to the Earth."

Charlie, Billy, Tancred, and Lysander looked bewildered. "Well that's a good way to end a story! All of us having to, like, save the whole world! How in the world, literally, how in the _world_ are we getting everyone to work together? There's just too many!" Charlie protested.

"Oh…a little mind control wouldn't hurt anybody." Paton said, smiling covertly.

"There's something that bothers me…" Emma said slowly. Before anyone could ask what it is, she said, "How could Mrs. Tilpin start a nuclear war?"

Paton sighed, scratching his head. "Um…this is hard to explain…"

Julia said, "Mrs. Tilpin is a witch, she has many powers but not strong enough to start one so she combines her power with three other evil witches. She wants to start one so she can take control. The Earth, however, isn't in the state of position she wants it to be, it's too healthy. She wants the Earth all black, dead, and gruesome with red blood stains everywhere to show everyone that it was the power of evil who had been here and took over, a sign of victory.

"So the strongest war that would be possible to do that is a nuclear war. The only thing I don't know is that where did she find the other three witches?"

Everyone pondered for a while, until something whizzing outside crashed in the ground, giving off a small explosion.

"Holy crap!" Tancred yelled, flinging his arms out to steady him.

"Tancred, you better wash your mouth after this!" Lysander said.

"Don't forget soap," Billy added.

Mr. Bone peered out to battlegrounds and flinched. "What is it?" asked Mrs. Bone.

"The ice changed to rigid snakes…I think they have venom!" he said worriedly.

Just then, Cook appeared, looking troubled. "We have to get everyone in here, yes every! We need more force fielders!"

And on cue, the seven force fielders groaned. "How long do we have to do this?" piped up a small girl wearing a summer yellow dress and yellow bows in her brown hair.

"Now long now love," Cook cooed. "Just keep doing it, okay?"

The girl nodded and turned away.

Cook faced the school or, nothing at all. Only five lucky walls…make that three, made it. "Tsk, tsk." Cook tsked.

"Hurry, before someone gets killed!" Mrs. Bone hollered at the scattering people. Emma went to the north side, Olivia to the west, Julia to south, Paton to east, Mr. Bone to southeast, Mrs. Bone to northwest, Cook to southwest, and Dannielle to center.

"Come on, don't panic, whatever you do, DON'T PANIC!" Olivia hollered to the panicking group that she had to handle.

"FOLLOW ME IF YOU WANT TO LIVE!" Paton roared to his group of followers.

"Come on, follow me and we'll be safe! All force fielders; help make our force field stronger! We need shelter!" Emma yelled.

It was challenging to get everyone to safety, even harder to drag the stubborn.

At last, they were convinced when a rattlesnake flew to them, narrowly missing a teenage boy. Then they REALLY panicked and ran to the shelter. Emma could see multiple people making a mini force field around them, and that's when Emma knew how to find them.

She ran to a girl with a red force field. "Excuse me, we need your help to make the force field at the shelter stronger, we need ALL the force fielders there, can you help?" Emma asked in haste.

The girl looked at her, puzzled. Emma then realized that she couldn't speak English.

"Force field," Emma said, pointing to the girl's force field. "Shelter," Emma pointed to the shelter. "You," Emma pointed to the girl. "Help," Emma struggled to signal help but then she pointed back at the shelter.

The girl looked a little less confused so Emma pointed to the shelter, then the girl, and then the force field that the girl made.

Signs of understanding reached over to the girl's face and she smiled, nodded.

Emma turned away, happy that she could contact a foreign person. Then she saw a blue force field heading her way. "Excuse me, I need your help!" Emma said to a small boy.

_**Somewhere in the Red Portal Thing…**_

__Mrs. Tilpin looked at down below at the grounds, laughing ebilly. "How pathetic!" she cackled. She was standing on a levitated platform, half lit up, half all dim and darkened. She was wearing a simple green cloak.

Joshua was beside her, grinning. "Yes mother, it is…"

Mrs. Tilpin stroked her son's head. "Now all we need is the help of the three witches…"

Joshua nodded to the side and three women stepped out from the shadows, looking content.

"Hello Fiora, Annalee, and Ingrid. How are you on this fine evil evening?"

The woman in the red cloak spoke in a fine soothing voice, "It is indeed fine, however, it is not evening for it is three in the morning but I shall let this pass."

"Fiora, don't talk in that mystic way, there's no time. We need to lure them all out, for it is in Part Two of the Prophecy of Seth." hissed a woman in a blue cloak.

"How does it go again?" asked a woman in a purple cloak.

"It goes like this," Joshua said.

_Shall leaves will fall_

_The tears will call_

_Summon the one_

_For he carries the sun._

_Shall leaves will fall_

_The tears will call_

_Fear not, the four_

_Have no power no more_

_Shall leaves will fall_

_The tears will call_

_To revive a warrior_

_So need to lure._

_Shall leaves will fall_

_The tears will call_

_The tree once more_

_Will heal its core._

_Shall leaves will fall_

_The tears will call_

_The four are down_

_But are they bound?_

_Shall leaves will fall_

_The tears will call_

_They will rise_

_Until the children are likewise. _

"Who do you think the four are?" asked Joshua after he finished reciting them.

"The Bones, the Yewbeam, and the Ingledew." said Mrs. Tilpin.

"How do you know it's not us?" asked the blue cloak lady.

"Even so, we will rise, right?" asked Mrs. Tilpin.

"Come, we must talk with the Bloors…they are getting really violent." said the re cloak lady in a hushed voice. "Also, they stink very much."


	32. The Bomb and The Rays

"Have you any idea what this will lead to?" Mrs. Vertigo shrieked. She arrived at Bloors at midnight to pick up Olivia but she was sent to another room where many parents and teachers (the good ones) sat to wait. It has been three hours and everyone is getting really impatient so she exited and marched to the police department.

"This will lead to drowsiness and you can't be acting great if you are tired! Unless if it's required for a certain scene, but this isn't the time!" Mrs. Vertigo scowled.

"Listen miss, you are required to stay quiet or else." a woman at a desk said politely.

"No! I will NOT stay quiet and formal when my daughter is trapped at Bloors!" Mrs. Vertigo started to pace, making the satisfying _click clack _sound when she walked with high heels on a polished marble floor.

"Wait a minute…did you say Bloor's?" the woman asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Yes I did!" Mrs. Vertigo snapped.

"We had several reports on that place! We were just sending backup." The lady said urgently. "We need to get you in there and save your child, come with me."

Mrs. Vertigo, glad to get something going on, walked briskly after the police woman through a fine oak door.

"Bloor's huh?" an officer had said, looking down at the papers in front of her.

"Bloor's." repeated a man.

"Excuse me? Officer Rock? We have a woman here whose daughter is at Bloor's, held captive." the woman said importantly.

"Held captive…my daughter is held captive?" Mrs. Vertigo repeated, looking at the lady with a terrified look.

"Don't worry Miss; Patrol Seven had just left with the American SWAT Team…tough fighters they are…" Officer Rock muttered. Officer Rock looked to the left, eyeing the map that was hung there.

"I really want to go there!" Mrs. Vertigo said uneasily. "But they didn't let me in! Some huge men were blocking the entrance! I could've climbed over the fence but see, I'm wearing a very flammable dress and the fields were filled with fire. I wish I could have gone but if I burned to death, I will never see my daughter so the smartest choice was to go to you."

Officer Rock glanced at a man next to her and nodded. "We'll have to go ourselves for that matter," the man said.

"Yes, I suppose so…Officer Range, you take charge until I get back, Howard, Doven, Kirkland, you three come with me. Ma'am, you'll be with us too." Rock ordered.

_**Sometime later…**_

__"I know we haven't got everyone, there's a lot more people out there!" Olivia hollered to Mr. Bone who struggled against the Earth-splitting action (actually, literally, it IS EARTH-SPLITTING!).

The Earth below them is cracked with cracks! "Weird!" Emma had cried. "It's like the Earthquake is only affecting the school grounds, nothing more!"

"We need to get EVERYONE out of the school grounds!" Paton roared.

"What? But we just moved everyone here!" barked Olivia.

"Well what should we do?" Emma asked confused.

"Olivia, we have to get everyone OUT of here!" Paton snapped. "There's another bomb in the building!"

"Another bomb?" Emma said worried.

"WHAT building?" Olivia yelled angrily. "It's all DOWN! All DOWN TO THE GROUND!"

"You forgot about the secret room of invisibility!" Paton said.

"Is that the room Dr. Bloor was talking about?"

"Yes, no one but the Red King himself knows where it is. He wrote it in his sacred journal but no one for all I know has ever found it." Paton said, scanning the ruined school.

There was silence between the three and anxiety took over when an audible _beep sounded. _Then another, and another, and slowly gradually it grew faster and faster.

Paton's head jerked up. "THE BOMB!" He yelled.

"Where?" Olivia and Emma shouted, looking around bewilderedly.

"UNDERNEATH US!" Paton pointed to the ground.

The two girls looked down and saw a corner of a dynamite sticking out.

They-of course-screamed and everyone around them heard and screamed. Soon, everyone screamed. The screaming is contagious; the scream went around like the Domino Theory, one person screams, the others follow suit.

"Move, _move_, **move**, move, _**Move!**_" Olivia ordered, trying to make space for the people helping the injured and unconscious get by.

"Don't panic it won't go off for ten minutes!" Julia yelled, pulling the sticks of dynamite out of the ground cautiously.

Paton hurried over. "Julia, is there anyway to stop it?"

"I don't know…" she replied, sweating.

"Uncle…what's going on?" asked a weak voice behind them.

They turned and saw a pale Charlie with a bandage around his head, fastened by a pin. He was standing there, slumped over and he swayed.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Paton and Julia cried as Charlie toppled over. Paton caught him and Charlie coughed.

"What's going on?" he repeated.

"There's a bomb, go get help, get as far as you can from here!" Julia explained for Paton who tried to steady Charlie.

"I want to stay with you." Charlie said groggily.

"No, you can't, I'm sorry dear boy," Paton said hurriedly.

"I'm not going anywhere without you," Charlie said stubbornly.

"You got one loyal great-nephew there Paton." Julia said. "Here, Charlie, Olivia is worried sick about you, she's outside, looking for you. Do you really want to break her heart?"

Charlie was speechless for a second and then he said, "Okay…I will go…just be careful…"

"Good boy," Paton said, patting Charlie, who walked off, swaying here and then there.

"I have a way with kids," Julia said innocently when Paton gave her a weird look.

"Good thing," he said as they laughed.

"Now…" Julia turned her attention back to the bomb which will go off in 8 minutes and 27 seconds…make that 25 seconds.

**Five seconds Later…**

"Olivia!" a woman yelled desperately.

Olivia turned and smiled in relief. "Mom!"

"Oh, my Olivia, darling, are you alright? Are you hurt? Oh, the lovely dress you were wearing is ruined! Oh, at least you're okay!" Mrs. Vertigo said tearfully, hugging her daughter close to her as she sniffed.

"Mom…I don't want to die!" Olivia said, letting all of her emotions out. She shook with sadness.

"Olivia, you will not die!" Mrs. Vertigo said firmly, grasping Olivia's hand.

"I know but I could've! There's a bomb! At least 8 more minutes! I-I can't know I'm going to live but what if I'm wrong? I a,-I am so c-confused!" Olivia wailed.

Mrs. Vertigo had never seen her daughter like this, only once and that was when she didn't get into a movie.

"There, there…come on, we batter get out of here, come on, let's go!" Mrs. Vertigo said soothingly.

Olivia nodded, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand and walked off with her mother's arm around her shoulders for support.

"Olivia!" a croaky voice called out.

Olivia looked around and cried, "Charlie!"

Mrs. Vertigo stopped and let the poor boy catch up. "Oh, you poor thing…here, you can lean on me."

Charlie shook his weary head slowly. "No…I just need a rest…"

"No, don't rest, don't rest! We'll be fine!" Olivia said with a look of anxiety.

"No…I can't go on!" Charlie said huffing and he leaned on his knees to reduce the dizziness.

"Here," Olivia said to her mom. "I'll take care of this," Olivia marched over to the bewildered Charlie and picked him up ion her shoulders, staggering to the right and then the left.

"I don't feel safe," Charlie said loudly.

"You won't be safe if you stop escaping!" Olivia cried.

Mrs. Vertigo tried to help but Olivia waved her on. "I can handle this…" Olivia gasped.

"Are you sure sweetheart?"

"Yes, yes!" Olivia breathed out. "I'll be fine!"

"Okay…just tell me if you need help, okay?" Mrs. Vertigo said.

"Olivia…" Charlie muttered.

"Yes?" Olivia panted.

There was a slight pause. "Thank you," Charlie murmured finally.

"You're welcome!" Olivia said, smiling.

From time to time she would stumble but Mrs. Vertigo would always be there to catch them in time, steadying them. "Careful," she would warn.

They stopped to take a ten second rest and then they would start walking. "Man…I wonder if they have enough money to rebuild Bloor's Academy," Mrs. Vertigo said, looking back.

"I bet not." Olivia said. "I think we have to go to a normal school."

"Wouldn't that be nice Olivia?" asked Mrs. Vertigo.

"No…I would miss my friends." Olivia said. "But if they all go with me, I would be happy."

"Yes…I see…"

"And I wish the Bloor's will move somewhere far and isolated so no one would have to suffer from their evilness." Olivia continued.

"Yes…that would be nice," Mrs. Vertigo said.

"TWO MINUTES!" a boy yelled. "TWO MINUTES BEFORE IT GOES OFF!"

"Two minutes!" Olivia breathed.

"Here, let me carry Charlie, you go and run, run until you can't run anymore!" Mrs. Vertigo cried.

"But-" Olivia started to protest.

"But Mrs. Vertigo swung Charlie onto her shoulder and pushed Olivia onward. Olivia was hesitant but she ran with all the other students who were desperate to leave.

"I wonder if Emma made it…" Olivia said to herself, looking back.

She ran on, huffing and puffing as she went. She hoped that she had been far enough and prayed that no one would get killed by this awful thing.

"Who would even make such a thing?" her mother had said a long time ago when Japan bombed the United States and when the United Sates bombed them.

Then Olivia heard something so beautiful but so sad at the same time. She lost all of her worrying thoughts and followed it, coming closer and closer to the bomb.

She could hear many people screaming, "DOES SHE WAANT TO BE KILLED?!"

She ignored it and walked on. Then many people followed her, like they were all in a trance. Olivia's brain screamed, "NO! NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY!" but her heart said, "Go this way, someone needs you, he needs all of you…go to him…go save him and he shall save you too."

She went to the forest and zigzagged around trees which some were on fire. She stopped a few seconds later, when the bomb's beeping went faster and faster. Every endowed child was there, for they had fallen in a trance. Surprisingly, the injured ones were healed. They all circled around a magnificent tree with orange, yellow, and red leaves falling as clear sacred water flowed from it.

"The king has spoken!" they all said simultaneously.

The Red King stood before them in tree form. The brilliant leaves fell rapidly and the tears flowed faster and faster, into a blue color.

All the adults there were shocked. Paton murmured, "The Ancient King Protection Spell…I never thought I would live to see the day and I'm still young!"

"My word…" Julia whispered. "It's so…magical…" There were no other words to explain it, the tears glowed bright blue and the children turned around.

The, one by one, their eyes glowed for a second and then it grew gold as rays of light flung to the sky. The bodies of the endowed children glowed with the golden rays as the rays connected over the King whose tears flowed gold.

Julia looked back at the bomb. "Half a minute left!" she said, tears welling in her eyes.

Julia gripped Paton as he her. The rays made a dome and they spread over the adults and comforting warmth covered them.

Five…four…three…two…one…" Julia whispered.


	33. The Light

They all died.

Nah, just kidding with you!

The bomb's force was so strong, the adults bent down and avoid being blown off but the effects of the rays protected them for all the endowed were there, standing around the King to protect.

The bomb made a huge, enormous, gigantic, massive, immense sound! The grown-ups thought that they would go deaf for seventy years! Portions of earth flew in the air and a lot of trees were uprooted.

After the terror was over, the kids went back to normal and they stood there, blinking and staring blankly at everyone and everything.

"What just happened?" Emma asked three rows behind Olivia.

"Emma!" Olivia cried, flinging her arms around Emma's shoulders to give a big old bear hug.

"Olivia! Thank goodness you're alright! What happened though, I thought I was on the streets but then something called me and I forgot what happened next." Emma said uneasily. "It's like Mrs. Johnson took over my body again."

"No, the Red King was calling us!" Olivia laughed. She laughed because she and the others were safe…for now…

"STOP!" A voice called out. It was like the voice was transferred through a microphone.

Everyone looked around to find the source of the voice.

"You all might have outsmarted the bomb but you can not outsmart us." the voice boomed in a very dignified manner.

"Who are you?!" everyone called out in an annoyed voice.

"I prefer to not answer that," the voice said tersely.

Olivia was about to protest but then a pretty little humming came from behind her. They all looked around and saw Charlie, who was still bathed in warm golden lights.

The voice said, "He who carries sun…I wonder…"

Fidelio recognized that voice. "It's Mrs. Tilpin!" he yelled, pointing to the skies.

"Very good Fidelio…" Mrs. Tilpin said shortly.

"Show yourself!" Charlie yelled in a deep voice.

"Is he going through puberty?" asked Tancred1, looking up. Lysander nudged him, hard.

"Ouch, what was that for?" Tancred asked, rubbing his arm.

"Shh…" Lysander hushed.

"I decide not too, he who holds sun." Mrs. Tilpin boomed.

Charlie blinked and suddenly, he could see in a new point of view. There was yellow everywhere, he still can see but there is a tint of yellow, and he could see five people in the air, sitting calmly on a floating platform.

Mrs. Tilpin, three other people Charlie did not know, and surprisingly, Joshua who grinned.

"I thought you were good Joshua!" Charlie exclaimed furiously.

"Oh, I'm not who you think I am…" he said cunningly. "I'm who you think I am not!" a new voice sounded from Joshua's mouth.

"Mrs. Johnson," Charlie hissed.

Ooh…irony!

"Yes, I have taken over him but who cares? No one cares, not even his mother!" Mrs. Johnson hissed.

Everyone stayed silent.

Charlie looked down at his hands and saw a little warm ball of light. He gazed into it and realized what to do.

"Any last words before I finish you?" asked Charlie in a daring voice.

The witches laughed. "You, finish us? You are a funny boy, too bad _I _have to finish _you_ off Charlie Bone," Mrs. Johnson cackled.

Charlie said, "Well, that's a funny way to say good bye so, EAT BALLS!"

The crowd laughed. "He said 'eat balls'!" a boy said, laughing.

Charlie realized what he said but shrugged it off as he threw the light ball at the witches.

One of them (the one in the blue cloak) flicked it off as if it was nothing but a pesky mosquito.

Charlie waited and grinned.

The light ball that zoomed backward zoomed forward and engulfed the witches along with the platform up. Then Joshua fell out of it, screaming.

Charlie felt himself zooming over to catch him, even though he had no idea how to do that.

He lowered Joshua to the ground and when they hit the floor, his golden glow jumped from him to Jessie's body which was covered with a white cloth.

Everyone watched, holding their breath. Antonio (wow, haven't written him in here for a while…) inched up and watched with a lot of hope.

The glow disappeared and there was only the sound of birds chirping and a few footsteps of people who went up to look.

Nothing…

But then…

The white cloth flew off and Jessie, not dead anymore, raised, blinking and yawning.

"JESSIE!" The crowd went wild. They all crowded against her, hugging and cheering, even though many people didn't know her.

"What's going on?" she yawned, stretching her arms.

"We thought you were dead!" Emma yelled, smiling with tears.

"Me? Dead? Are you all joking or what?" Jessie said, looking confused.

No one answered, they were all too happy and so many people cheered.

"I have NO idea what you all are talking about!" Jessie cried. "You're all insane! Mad, nuts!"

People laughed at the word, 'nuts' for it has a more gross definition other then the food.2

"What happened to the King?" someone yelled out.

Everyone fell silent, not immediately but in five minutes, they all crowded around the tree which was split in half.

"Oh…" everyone murmured sadly.

Whispers sounded and then Paton went up there to check.

"My dear King…alas, our shield was not powerful enough to defend the Red King. Let him rest…in peace." Paton said mournfully.

"In peace," Charlie repeated, bowing his head.

"In peace," Olivia and Emma said, bowing their heads.

There were a lot of 'In peace,' from people, in different languages, sign language…you name it.

A moment of silence was formed and no one noticed that the tree glowed with a brilliant red glow.

The tree raised its dead branches and 'shaved' it off magically and is replaced with new, young, full-of-life branches, a healthy green that is.

New leaves grew and the tree sewed each other so tightly that you can't tell that is has been split.

Paton looked up when he heard a loud crack and exclaimed, "Thank goodness! The King, he healed! He's alive!"

The endowed looked up and stared stupidly at the miracle.

Charlie started to clap slowly, and then Olivia joined, then Emma, then Tancred, then Lysander, then everyone from Bloors then a group of people, and more…the Domino Theory worked its magic down the nerves of the kids.

Then the claps went to cheers ("WOO!" and "YEAH!" and "LONG LIVE THE KING!")

"He lives!" Charlie yelled to the air, punching it as well. "HE LIVES EVERYBODY, THE RED KING LIVES!"

"Woo! Yeah!" Olivia shouted.

Laughter, tears, anything…they completely ignored the four witches that shook as they stood. "You are the four…" Mrs. Johnson hissed.

"One of us still have their power…but who?" asked the woman in the purple cloak.

"I don't," said the woman in the red cloak.

"Not I," said the blue cloak woman.

"Nor I," said the purple cloak woman.

"I don't," Mrs. Tilpin said, looking at the other three quickly.

Silence…

"One of us is lying," the red cloak lady scowled.

"Not me," Mrs. Johnson said coldly. "I'm not a witch."

"Well, you're descended from Count Harken Badlock! He knows how to tell if someone is lying or not!" snapped Mrs. Tilpin.

"How do you know?" Mrs. Johnson snapped back.

"I just know!"

"Well!" Mrs. Johnson said icily.

"Come on! One of us is lying!" the woman in the blue cloak.

"This is hopeless!" Mrs. Tilpin said coldly.

"Wait…I feel something…" the purple cloak lady said, waiting.

So they waited. A minute later, she turned and shot lightning out of her fingertips. "Our powers are back…" she muttered. "That's what the Prophecy said! We will rise until the children are likewise!"

"What does it mean likewise?" said the lady in the red cloak.

"When they are all the same, all good or all evil." said Mrs. Johnson slowly.

"I see…and I wonder…" said the purple cloak woman, smiling.

"What?" they all asked.

"What if we made a potion, one that would turn them all evil?"

"I like how you think…let's go to the room, we have everything we need there." said the lady in the blue cloak.

* * *

1Yes, when they were all bathed with the gold rays, they healed.

2For people who didn't get it, 'nuts' is also another way to say, 'groin'


	34. The Sacred Pond's Water

The five swooped into the dim and damp cobblestone room, lit by only a few torches. It smelled of strong turnips (for Dr. Bloor had thought that the remedy of a certain virus is turnips, turns out he was mistaken) and the ceiling dripped of the dew drops, making an eerie dripping sound as they fell. There was a slight draft in the room, so they must be careful with pouring liquids, who knows if the liquid is acid and who knows if the liquid will be blown off course and directly to someone's skin, no one wanted to think about that.

Mrs. Tilpin settled down on creaky wooden chairs while the other witches stood, gazing around unsteadily. "So…what do you think will work? I was hoping for the brainwashing potion but it's very difficult to make! Eye of a horny toad, much too disgusting!" the blue cloaked lady flinched at the thought.

"Mind control?" asked the red cloaked lady thoughtfully. "No, no, that won't do either…I mean, how are we to acquire fangs from a rattlesnake without getting bitten! And besides, there's no time to travel here to wherever they are found!"

"Well grab some of those old and dusty potions books over there, and perhaps those spell books will become useful too," Mrs. Johnson snapped hurriedly. "And please, they're getting away!"

There were scurrying feet and the loud noise of the heavy leather books being dropped against their will on the wooden table. "Fiora," Mrs. Johnson said suddenly.

The red cloaked lady (it's safe to call her Fiora now) looked up from behind a red book with yellowing pages sticking out at odd angles.

"Yes?" she said politely.

"Come here…I think I found the perfect plan…" she said, her thin lips curving slightly as she read on, eagerly and ponderously.

Fiora and the others read behind Jessie's mother and exchanged nervous looks. "Leah, are you sure this is a good idea?" asked the blue cloaked lady with a look of anxiety.

"Annalee, you must trust this, trust me! I know from much experience." said Mrs. Johnson.

Annalee, the blue cloaked lady, nodded slightly before returning her doubtful eyes to the pages of the wrinkled-up pages. "How are we going to get those ingredients?" she asked, strangely, in a defeated tone.

"Oh!" the purple cloaked woman exclaimed, clapping her hands over her mouth with excitement. "I know how! We can order them off of eBay!"

Mrs. Tilpin slapped her forehead. "Ingrid, don't tell me you had the Drought of Stupidity to get yourself out of this mess, did you?" (Ingrid takes the Drought of Stupidity so the others will not want her working for she could lose/break/destroy something and order her on a break)

Ingrid, the purple cloaked woman, laughed. "Indeed I did but as of seeing that you have figured it out then I will not be going anywhere while you four are at hard work."

"That was your plan?" Fiora said, her voice rising.

"Pretty much," she replied, shrugging.

"Ladies, focus!" Mrs. Johnson said curtly. "Now, all we need is one cup of cold water, one tablespoon of fly wings, a pinch of powdered cockroaches, a handful of snails, five slugs, a little bit of blood from a toad, flesh of salamander, and two bones of a leopard. I know we have some dead toads in here, maybe some have a bit of extra blood…salamanders…I think I can go get some outside…" Mrs. Johnson muttered, scanning over the list again.

"Leah, this is HOPELESS!" Annalee cried. "I think we go with the brainwashing! It was my idea anyway!"

"Let's do Mind control!" Fiora argued snappishly.

"Girls, girls," Mrs. Tilpin said shortly, snapping her fingers three time, "enough! Is this a way a powerful witch acts? I am so ashamed!"

"Well at least we have ideas; we haven't heard any from you!" Annalee said abruptly.

"SHUT UP!" Mrs. Johnson screamed at the top of her lungs. Everyone looked at her, feeling tired and bossy. "Now, we will go with this plan or else you will be _obliterated_, understand?"

The four nodded, brushing imaginary dirt off of their dresses and cloaks as if nothing happened. "Well…let's get the ingredients, shall we?" said Mrs. Johnson in a high cheery voice.

_**Meanwhile…**_

__"We better get home!" Mrs. Bone said, dragging Charlie by the collar.

"No, mom, please! I'm fine! I want to stay to help!" Charlie argued bitterly.

"You need bed rest for school!" Mrs. Bone said in a false cheery tone through clenched teeth when she noticed a few people staring at them.

"Mom, please!" Charlie shouted.

"Charlie, shush!" she said snappily. Clearly she did not want to attract attention.

Charlie, of course, knows this and so he yelled, "I DON'T CARE!!! I WANT TO STAY AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO STOP ME!!!"

Mrs. Bone sighed. "Fine, just be careful though, okay? I want you back here in one hour, and that's all I'm going to give you and don't you dare think about running off again, that won't work now because I have my eye on you mister!" Mrs. Bone warned, crossing her arms menacingly.

Charlie grinned. "I won't mom,"

He ran off, glad that he could stay for 60 more minutes. Mrs. Bone turned around, shaking her head. "I have _got _to learn how to say no!"

"Did you see that?" Emma was saying as Charlie came closer to his friends.

"Yes, but-oh where to start…there you are Charlie, how's your head, feeling better no doubt!" Tancred said cheerfully as Charlie sat down on the grass among his besties.

"I'm doing fine," he said. "Now what happened? Did I already know or was it something else?" asked Charlie, leaning in eagerly.

"You already know!" Olivia said, looking impressed. "You and the golden light! It was like you were blessed with an Angel's Gift Charlie!"

"He _is _gifted, but maybe not by an Angle's Gift Livvy," said Fidelio.

"I didn't know Charlie could do that," Billy piped up.

"It was beautiful but eerie at the same time!" Dannielle admitted.

"I know!" everyone muttered, agreeing.

"Do you think we have to transfer to a new school or wait until Bloor's is all patched up? I can wait," Ben said; looking at the place where Bloor's used to stand menacingly before it was torn apart.

Charlie nodded with the others but then jolt up when something furry brushed against his arm.

He looked back and sighed with relief. "Flames!" Billy exclaimed, reaching down to pet one of them.

The Flames purred, licking their paws as if to say, "_Yes, we are back and no, we had not taken our bath yet so wait while we finish properly." _

"What were they doing in there?" asked Lysander, scratching behind Sagittarius's ears.

"I don't know…maybe hunting down some explosives and shutting them down I suppose." said Gabriel, petting Leo who jumped onto his lap.

"Billy, ask them what they were doing!" Charlie said eagerly.

Billy made a few purrs and a bit of meows here and there.

Aries was the one who answered. Billy sat there, nodding his head slowly, interrupting a few times and then went back to nodding. Everyone looked closely and jumped when Billy yelled, "No way! Tell me more!"

He repeated that in cat language and Aries started to meow again, purring, making hissing noises, making odd spitting sounds also.

Billy's eyes widen as Aries spoke. Then Aries ran off with the other two following him.

"Well?" Emma said.

Billy got up and ran after the cats, yelling, "Come on! They want us to follow them!"

Charlie ran with the others, excited that something is happening. "I'll be with the Flames, Mom I'll be okay if I'm with the Flames!" Charlie called to hi mom who had a fierce look on her face.

"I have GOT TO LEARN!" Mrs. Bone said with a tired voice.

"You'll learn someday sweetie, you'll learn…" Mr. Bone said, sighing with a grim smile. "Besides…he's with his friends and the Flames, nothing could go horribly wrong."

"Oh, you don't know Charlie these days, he's gone from sweet and innocent little toddler to trouble making and adventurous boy." Mrs. Bone said seriously.

"True…" Mr. Bone said thoughtfully. "But still, you have to give him points for being curiously brave," he said, grinning as Amy Bone groaned with a mock look of annoyance.

Charlie, of course, didn't stop running. He slowed down to a jog many times but he never stopped once. The end doesn't count.

Billy clicked his tongue and the Flames slowed down a little bit.

Charlie stared at Billy as he ran, or, he looked at Billy as he ran and then back on the path so he didn't trip and then back at Billy. "You could do that? You could've gotten them to walk but no! You can control their speed? Can you make them go slower?"

"Two more times and that's it," said Billy. He clicked his tongue twice and the cats slowed down to a quick paste jog type of run.

"Better, thanks Billy!" Charlie called, panting.

"Yeah, come on!" Billy called.

"Where are we going?" Tancred yelled.

The sun was about to rise and it was hard to believe that almost six hours ago, they were at a nice and peaceful dance…that only lasted for at least an hour and a half out of six hours at least.

The dead leaves crunched beneath their shoes/feet as they ran through the near silent forest. It sets an eerie mood but luckily, light was starting to appear, just a few more hours.

The dim woods were not in a hurry to brighten up, casting ghostly shadows around them.

"My feet are itchy! If only I wore my tennis shoes! But no, we had to wear shoes for a stupid dance!" she cried bitterly as she hopped a bit, scratching her feet as she hopped.

Emma was running barefooted too and she had this pained face. "I want to scratch it really badly but then I might not catch up when I scratch!"

"Okay, we can stop for a while." said Billy after he had a conversation with the cats.

The three Flames stopped and watched, looking amused at the people who were scratching their feet vigorously.

"Don't give us that look! I hate that look!" Charlie cried to the Flames who paced around them in a steady circle.

"Hold on, hold on, we'll be ready in a sec," Gabriel and Fidelio said, setting themselves on the earthy ground to tear off their socks to itch the itches.

Lysander was scratching his back and Tancred was rubbing his arms. Dannielle was scraping off some leaves off of her foot and replaced her flats on neatly as possible. Charlie rubbed his nails against his skin, trying to get rid of the red bumps that formed on there. "Mosquitoes," he mumbled grudgingly.

Leo hissed as his eyes darted to a tree near Tancred who was rubbing his back with a branch he picked up from the ground. ("Tancred! Don't you know that bugs and stuff could've been in there? You don't even know where it's been!" Emma had shrieked.)

Everyone turned their gaze to the tree, watching and waiting anxiously.

Tancred scooted back, not wanting to be the victim (as he had died twice).

There were loud crunching noises coming from beyond the tree, getting louder and louder and closer and closer. Then…it stopped.

The group peered out, waiting and holding their breath.

Nothing appeared.

The Flames looked anxious to go and so did everyone else. "I'm done, is everybody done? Yes, everybody's done, okay, let's go!" Olivia said quickly, pushing Emma to the other side, away from the tree.

"Come on, let's see what the Flames want." said Ben, jogging.

So off they went, through the trees, pass the small creek over by the rolling hills, pass the clear blue lake and through the wondrous mountains…

Nah, they didn't see any of that stuff, the only exciting thing they saw was a goose flying above their heads.

"Where are we going?" asked Olivia in a whining voice.

"Didn't I tell you?" asked Billy in a confused voice.

"No, you were going to I think." said Charlie, tired.

"_Well_…I guess if you guys want to know…" said Billy with a little smile.

"Yes, we _do _want to know!" Charlie urged impatiently.

"We're going to the sacred pond," Billy said in a smooth voice.

"_What_ sacred pond?" Olivia asked.

"I don't know, I never heard of it until the Flames mentioned it." said Billy, shrugging."What does it do?" Emma asked.

"Brings hope? Dreams coming true?" asked Tancred.

"I can't really say, I don't understand most of it but you'll see." Billy replied simply.

Silence…

"Billy?" Charlie said, tapping him on the shoulder as they went.

"Yes?"

"I was wondering what we would do about the nuclear war!" Charlie said, casting a worried look.

"I don't think that's going to happen," said Emma, although she was reluctant.

"Who knows…" Charlie said glumly. "I don't think it's true but then Uncle Paton isn't really much of a joker when it comes to something like this. You don't think he's serious, is he?"

"We're here," Billy announced.

Charlie and everyone else who were taking part of the conversation snapped back to reality. "So what _is _the sacred pond?"

"Look for yourself!" Billy said in a cheerful voice.

Charlie looked over Billy's shoulders. His jaw dropped open enough to fit an orange in there, peel or no peel!

"It's so…beautiful!" Olivia breathed as her eyes widen and shone with wonder.

"It's magical no doubt!" Emma sighed as she stepped forward to the clear sparkling waters. "And the air here is so fresh, like you were reborn!"

"I can stay here forever!" Lysander exclaimed as he threw himself onto a rock covered with leaves and vines. "And it's so bright and warm and cool at the same time! How is that possible? How come we have never heard or seen this before?"

"Maybe because it's secretive and only the Flames can gain access from it. I guess we have to be with them too," Tancred replied as he took in a deep breath and let it out with a satisfying sigh.

Dannielle kneeled down over the water and dipped her hand into it and gasped, pulling away from it. "What is it?" asked Emma in alarm.

"It's just that…my hands…they glowed! When I put my hands in there, it glowed blue!" she replied with a look of amazement.

She dipped her hands in again and it glowed brightly, blue as the sky.

She raised her hands out of the water and examined them, looking for any oddness.

She wondered about her endowment and if it had anything to do with it. "Emma, put your hand in the water," she said slowly.

Emma hesitated before striding up and made little ripples in the water with her hands. She too gasped. "It went light purple!" she said eagerly, dipping her hand in once more with Dannielle who moved her hand around in a circle while the trail of fading blue water followed obediently after her arm.

Olivia went up and tested it out herself. "Green!" she said when the boys crowded around. "My hands went green!"

Billy and Charlie dropped their hands down to the relaxing waters, holding their breath for the results. "Red!" Charlie said.

"Mine is yellow," Billy replied, taking his hand out.

Tancred and Lysander went next, although they were very cautious. Why? No idea, perhaps they were worrying if it didn't work for them. Sure enough, it did.

"Gold," Lysander said proudly. "Mine is gold, and it's very precious."

"I have orange." Tancred announced, slowly pulling his hands out as he stared at the water dropping from his hands in its true color, or clear as it has no true color.

"What does it mean?" asked Dannielle as she stood up, brushing her skirt.

"I think it describes your personality, your self... maybe your uniqueness." murmured Lysander.

Dannielle screamed.

They turned to face her with alarm, ready to attack something if necessary. "Help…me…" she whimpered as blue snakes slithered around her waist.

"Don't make a loud sound, okay?" Olivia whispered, eyeing the snake.

"Can I make a sound now?" asked Charlie in a small voice.

"Why?"

"Because I have one on me…" he squeaked. Everyone watched with horror as a red snake slithered around Charlie's feet, hissing here and there as if to stay away.

"Oh no…" Fidelio whispered with the color draining out of his face.

"What is it Fido?" asked Gabriel as he inched back.

"Don't tell me you…spotted them…have you?" asked Emma in a hushed voice.

"I have…plenty of them." Fidelio said.

The Flames paid no attention to the snakes; they just simply sat there at the edge of the pond, licking their paws.

"Flames," Gabriel whispered. "Aries, Leo, Sagittarius, help us."

"Please?" Charlie said; flinching as the cool slimy reptile made his way up.

"Help," Dannielle said in a small voice as her blue snake wrapped her body around Dannielle's neck and arms.

Billy hissed to them, waiting for a reply.

They didn't reply back. He tried again, only to get an angry hiss back.

"What did they say?" asked Ben, backing up.

"They just said, 'Shut up!'" Billy said nervously, retreating back to the Flames.

Emma and Olivia looked at the ground where the snakes slowly made their way to them. "They're surrounding us…" Emma hissed.

"Oh no…" Olivia murmured.

Tancred shivered as an orange snake crawled around his knees, eyeing the others carefully.

Ben gulped as a silver snake slither up his leg. Usually, he would shake it off if it was a garden snake but he had no idea what kind of snake this was, venomous, poisonous, or harmless, either way, he wouldn't dare risk it.

Emma slowly made her way to the Flames, careful not to fall in the pond. She looked back and saw the colors lingered, along with many colors that she had not seen in there before. "Where did indigo come from?" she asked.

"I think that's my color," Gabriel said as an indigo snake coiled its body around his arm.

"They're the same color as the colors from our bodies!" Charlie exclaimed.

Dannielle shifted uncomfortably. "What's this stuff around my legs?" she asked.

They shifted their gaze to her feet and their eyes popped out of their sockets. "Not this!" Tancred moaned.

Some blue and ice like was slowly and gradually grew, making loud cracking noises.

"Someone…" she gasped as it came to her thighs.

Charlie glanced down at his feet and could see that it was starting to trap him. "What is this?" he asked worriedly, heart thumping with anxiety.

Billy looked at the Flames who looked back at him, purring. Billy shook his head. "They said just to relax."

"How can I relax if a red ice thing is about to swallow me?" asked Charlie defensively.

"I don't know…" Billy shrugged. Then he flinched as a yellow snake oozed around his toes.

Emma let out a quick yelps as a light purple snake made her way to Emma's arm. "This feels so unnerving." she said in a disgusted voice.

Lysander and Olivia gasped and shivered as their snakes coiled around their bodies. "Nice green snake," Olivia muttered, "nice green and scary looking snake…just don't eat me, I have an acting career when I grow up! I don't want to miss that!"

The green snake hissed and Olivia added hurriedly, "Okay, I'll shut up and be a good girl now…"

Lysander's golden snake was satisfied when he reached the top of Lysander's head. Tancred then said, "My feet are frozen!"

Literally, they were frozen solid, like Dannielle and Charlie. Dannielle's freezing was up to her chest, Charlie's was to his thighs, Tancred just started freezing.

Ben groaned. "Now _my _feet are freezing! Why is this happening?"

Gabriel shook a little as his freezing began. "I know there are animals that change in a capsule type of thing but humans, we have other things that change our bodies…and this does not include capsules!"

Tancred began hacking away his icy substance with a stick that he had picked up from the mossy ground. "Why-won't-this-break?" he asked angrily.

"Well, I'm relaxing!" Billy said, after he tried to pull the snake off of him, but it was no use. "I give up," he said throwing his hands in the air.

"I guess I'll relax too," Dannielle said, feeling tired and defeated. "It's easier to let the other do the work and you just kick back and relax,"

"But would it be okay?" asked Emma, peering over to the Flames who paced around Billy gently.

"If the Flames said so, then it must be." Fidelio answered, letting his slimy little friend wrap itself around his waist.

Charlie stared at Dannielle whose forehead was only visible. "Are you okay in there?" asked Charlie nervously.

"I'm fine!" she called back in a muffled voice. "Just squished, that's all!"

This strongly reminded Charlie of the time he accidentally walked in to a Haunted House when he was only five, wondering if that's the place to go potty. Of course, since he was small, he slipped in without any guards noticing and wondered through the silent and dark corridors, startled by the scene around him.

He could remember the time that this one person popped up in front of him in a Chucky mask (that _is _how you spell it, right? Chucky?), yelling in a hoarse, "I'm going to get you!"

Charlie screamed and started to cry. The man behind the mask didn't realized at first it was just a little curious five year old and took the mask off, trying desperately calming Charlie down but Charlie was a stubborn five year old and wouldn't stop crying.

"MAMA!" he had sobbed, running, or waddling, away as quick as he could.

He accidentally turned the wrong way into the 'Suffocation Room'. He stood alone in the room which the walls were mirrors. He had sniffed, looking at himself in the mirrors. His reflections had looked silly and innocent, along with wet and frightened. He smiled at last and said, pointing to one reflection, "Cwarlie!"

Then the walls started to close in on him as a red light below him on the floor indicated his feet so the wall doesn't actually squish him, the red feet was directly under Charlie's little feet so the walls know when and where to stop. The only problem was, Charlie wasn't old enough to know and he couldn't see them for he was focusing on crying.

It squished him just a bit and then it stopped. A booming voice sounded in there, saying, "Please exit through the side doors."

Charlie watched as the walls backed up slowly and he went through the front doors, back to the Chucky hall. Again, the same thing happened with him, Chucky made a live appearance, only to take the mask off again and tried to calm him down, yet, again.

Charlie shivered at the thought, he had nightmares for months!

"CHARLIE!" Olivia cried, pointing to the sky above them towards Bloor's. "Oh Lord, what's going on?" she shouted as a huge swirl appeared on top, swirling.

"What the-"

Charlie looked up through his icy capsule, which was essentially transparent, of course, with a colored tint.

He looked at Dannielle who was completely covered. She didn't move, except her eyes darted around, to the sky, to Billy, to the Flames, and to her snake which had slithered away once Dannielle was covered. Apparently, the ice didn't affect the snake and the snakes left through it as if it was nothing but air.

Dannielle's hair was up, like someone took a picture when she was jumping up in the air with her hair flying behind or winds blowing at her face and her hair was dancing around her head cheerfully as if there was no tomorrow, that was how her hair was, suspended in mid-ice.

Charlie said in a muffled voice, "Can you still breathe, blink once for yes, twice for no,"

Dannielle blinked once and at once there were audible sighs around the Sacred Pond. The waters in the pond were clear again, almost glowing with light. Charlie took one last breath when the crystal ice substance surrounded him whole.

Tancred's was chest high and he looked very annoyed. "How are we going to escape this?" he asked, shooting a look around the circle of icy friends who were staying still as told minutes ago.

Billy turned his head to ask the Flames. Leo made a small little peaceful meow and laid his head on his arms, closing his eyes for a catnap.

"Well?" Ben said twitching as his snake opened its mouth really wide.

"He says in time, it will open by itself. Then he said to hurry back to Bloor's and fight off the witches. So I guess this power your power, right?" asked Billy, looking around at the thoughtful group.

"Mmm…" Dannielle went, trying to make as much noise as she could able to. "Mmmm!"

"What is it Dannielle?" asked Billy, looking at her in alarm.

"Mmm, mm,mmm. Mmm! MMM!!!" Charlie mmed at everyone, eyes darting back and forth to everyone's faces.

"Something is happening!" Lysander said in a loud worried voice. "Now what?"

Olivia shot a nervous look at Charlie and then back to the Flames. "I think it's suppose to be like that," she said, relaxing a little. "I mean, they DID say to relax."

"Yeah…I guess so…" Lysander replied, gingerly looking at the direction of Bloor's. "But what about that swirl thing?"

"We'll take care of it later," Emma said breathlessly. "Besides, we're stuck so let's rest, shall we?"

And rest they did…


	35. Captured

After five minutes, everyone was frozen from head to toe. Their eyes darted around, feeling quite bored.

Aries laid himself at the edge of the pond, watching mysteriously over at them. Sagittarius and Leo meowed at Aries who took his eyes off of the group and looked at the blazing sky and hissed, scratching the air.

Dannielle wondered how long she would have to be stuck in the icy material. She was getting tired and bored, she wished to sleep but since her eyes were frozen opened, she could not. At times tears would come out from staring for a long time and many times she would have a horrible itch somewhere.

Same goes for everybody else, who had tried going 'Mmmmm!!!!!!!' as loud as they could. But they were ignoring the fact of this little tingle, a very light sensation so they could have not felt it, unless if they all remain calm and well gathered, among with silent and patient. That little tingle has mysterious powers, powers so powerful, it's powerful!

It was not seeable, nor can you physically feel it, you can feel it with your nerves, your mind, and perhaps sometimes you may be able to sense what's it's doing to you.

Olivia and Emma wiggled around, but they didn't budge the icy stuff. Billy, however, felt the presence of the tingle feeling, a wonderful feeling, like the first time he saw the Sacred Pond, although this feeling was even more wonderful than that-is that even possible-and it gave him strength. He felt warmth and glee, feeling like he could do anything in the world.

"Mmm," he went to Charlie, who paid little attention to Billy. "MMMM!" Billy said, louder.

Charlie glanced over at him with his eyes. Billy had no idea how to tell Charlie to be quiet and feel the delectate, frail, wonder of a lifetime.

Charlie stared at Billy and Billy went, "Mmm," He now knew how to keep Charlie from making noise, if only it would work.

Charlie, still staring, tried to raise his eyebrows.

Billy stared back, and then went, "Mmm,"

Charlie looked away but then he stopped and jerked his eyes back to Billy, widening them the best he could. He had felt it!

Charlie had felt it! It was so gleeful that he started laughing! What a weird laugh he put out, a muffled sputtering laugh; where did that come from?

Olivia's eyes automatically raced to Charlie and she stared silently. Billy hoped that this epidemic silence would continue from one person to another. Olivia kept staring and Charlie kept laughing.

But then he stopped, not feeling it anymore. He stopped laughing and hoped that the little feeling would come back. What do you know? It _did _come back, although very lightly as if it was weakened.

Charlie just smiled this time. Olivia still didn't understand and took her eyes off him.

Lysander and Tancred shot each other a little look. Maybe if they stayed silent, maybe they could feel or hear or see whatever Charlie saw that made him laugh.

It was hard though, not making a sound. The icy thing wrapped itself around the children even harder, as if trying to get it to make a sound. Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius looked to the kids and then to the warping spiral above the ruins of Bloors.

Oh boy…how should I put this…ah! I have got it!

Billy, who felt the sensation first, broke free of the icy substance and brushed off the rest of the ice that stuck to him. "Guys, can you hear me?" he cried. "Blink twice if you can!"

Everyone blinked twice, or, tried to. Billy then said, "Say 'Mmm' if you can hear me!"

"Mmm!" everyone chorused horribly.

"Good," Billy said with relief. "Just stay quiet and if you feel something wonderful, don't say anything or else you won't be able to break free! Wow…I feel so energetic now…I wonder why…"

Charlie broke free in a matter of minutes. He stretched and yawned. "Now I can scratch that itch now," he said, scratching vigorously at his arm.

Billy sat himself on the ground, waiting patiently as Charlie rubbed his back on a tree, still trying to get the spot on his back.

Billy's eyes grew more alert when he saw Olivia and Emma smile. "Don't make a sound, Billy hissed.

Emma and Olivia smiled even wider. So those two are going to break free easily, but the rest of the boys are having more difficulties.

Boys, they have an annoying habit of being noisy, yes, if you come to Bloors, they do.

Girls, on the other hand, are taught to be quiet, or it's in their blood.

Okay, most of them, not 100%, just most of them.

Same for boys too, some are quiet…you get the point…

So anyway, Olivia felt power throughout her body and she thought, _Should I break the ice now or do I wait?_

She told herself to do it now. She moved her arms and pushed the ice away, freeing her upper body, but her lower body was still stuck. She was not crushed by this so she lifted one foot up, and then the other.

At last, she freed herself. She sat on the ground and picked the remaining pieces of ice off of herself.

Emma was next. She too had felt something gleeful and now she felt so strong, that her mind filled with spirit commanded her mind to break the material sticking on to her. So she leaned forward a little and a huge crack appeared.

She leaned to her right and then her left, big cracks, little cracks, thin cracks, thick cracks, they were everywhere!

When she had enough cracks she then pushed her arms and legs away from her body and broke the ice. Billy, Olivia, and Charlie turned and covered their heads and Emma stretched automatically. "It's good to talk again," she breathed in a tiresome tone.

Ben and Fidelio felt impatient. It was so hard! Fidelio felt like he wanted to scream and Ben felt like he wanted to explode. Literally, he felt like going **BOOM**!

Tancred was doing no good either. He felt rage and he impatience in his head, like Fidelio and Ben, he felt like screaming, thrashing, exploding, cussing, punching, kicking, and whatever eased his rage and impatience.

Gabriel felt like he had to bang his head on something, he felt so bad inside, for no reason whatsoever. (Yes, whatsoever IS a word and it is not a typo, thank you) He could feel lightheaded, and dizzy. The ice was using his weaknesses against him.

Lysander on the other hand was doing fine, excluding the pounding blood running through his head. It ache his head and he longed for it to stop. It reminded him of his ancestors pounding on their drums if he did something to wrong or a warning.

He told himself in his mind to stay quiet or he'll never get anywhere. This was torture, yes, he admitted it. It was torture.

The morning sun glistened and watched over them patiently as everyone else waited impatiently. _ How much longer? _Tancred thought angrily. He tried to clam himself down again but always spring back up with raging hatred. Then he felt something peculiar.

Like everyone else, he felt a light sensation and his rage disappeared. He felt better and relaxed, waiting for the full effect. He liked the feeling and he calmed himself without going mad…mostly.

If only he could feel this feeling every time he woke up…why does school have to be on so early?

Lysander somehow sensed his friend's relaxation and eased his thoughts, calming the pounding blood in his brain. Maybe Tancred felt something like the others did. If he could, then Lysander could too…but why was it taking so long? Why is it? After all, he was quite silent and partially relaxed.

Lysander then felt a stab of annoyance. He wanted to say something, or at least make a noise but he knew he would gain nothing from it. So obediently, although grumpily, he stayed quiet, even though he felt dirty.

The air around them was getting wilder and Mrs. Bone grew angry and nervous. "It's been past an hour and Charlie's not back!" she snarled.

Mr. Bone looked anxiously around before saying, "I'm pretty sure it's for a good reason since the Flames are with him."

"Yes but still!" she said, putting her arms out in desperation. "He promised me!"

"Amy, it may be important," Mr. Bone said firmly. "Now, shush a little, the guards are getting suspicious,"

Have I forgotten to mention the scene? Let m look back up…Oh…I did…My bad, let's start all over!

REWIND!

Before all of that happened, when the huge depressing spiral thing appeared in the air, this is what happened.

Everyone looked up and let out a scream. The thing had strong winds blowing around, knocking some people off their feet.

"What on Earth?" Mrs. Bone started to say as she gaped at the darkening cloudy sky. Boy was it a sight to see!

Dark storm clouds swirled around their heads as red lightning shot out of the swirling madness. The winds gathered up speed and threw it against the people below. Many people headed to the shelter underneath the canopy of trees and dead branches. Bloor's will never be the same…

There was a rumble from the ground like a miniature earthquake. Then huge warriors emerged from the ground, holes glowed gold and then red. The soldiers snarled at the quivering people who huddled together in fear. "If anyone tried to escape, you'll have to deal with us," a guard boomed ferociously.

"Where's Charlie?" Paton asked Mrs. Bone as he crouched down, barely avoiding getting hit in the head by a tire when a guard threw it at him for talking.

Amy's brain finally clicked. The air around them grew wilder and Mrs. Bone grew angry and nervous. "It's been past an hour and Charlie's not back!" she snarled. She narrowly avoided being hit by a potato. She glared at one of them and then returned her look to he husband.

Mr. Bone looked anxiously around before saying, "I'm pretty sure it's for a good reason since the Flames are with him." He yelped as he covered his head as a stick was thrown at him, followed by a dirty look.

"Yes but still!" she said, putting her arms out in desperation. "He promised me!" She let out a yelp and rubbed her arm as a rock landed with a thud at the ground. "Haven't your mother taught you all manners?!" she snapped, only to dodge another incoming rock.

"Amy, it may be important," Mr. Bone said firmly. "Now, shush a little, the guards are getting suspicious," He ducked as a soldier hurled a stick at his head.

Okay, we're all caught up now. Whew…I thought we'll never catch up!

Now back to Charlie and his friends…

Tancred broke out when he felt a sneeze coming. He sneezed and the force of it made his limbs jerk up (or down, whatever suits your imagination) and broke free…without him meaning to.

"YEAH!" he shouted with glee. "I'M FREE! Oh, finally, I thought I would have to starve and pee in my own pants! Whew!"

Lysander felt envious. HE needed to get out…but then he would have to relax or his head would pound him to the ground…or was it his ancestors…

Furthermore, he was getting very annoyed. Ben broke out just because he kicking his feet. Ben jumped and stretched and shouted with joy. "I'm FREE! I'm FREE! NO MORE SHOULD I PLEE!"

"What are you, a poet?" Charlie asked, raising and eyebrow.

"I could if I wish, as long as you wash a dish," Ben said.

"That doesn't make ANY sense!" Charlie said.

Dilemma is the right word for this certain time… no, not really…

There's not really a problem going on, at least, not at the Sacred Pond…it's just a minor problem. But if you're talking about the incident at the school, er, at least, the remains of it, then that's a different story.

"Hey, don't talk too much or else you'll tempt them to talk!" Emma said in a hushed voice.

"Oh! Yeah, right, sorry!" Charlie apologized.

Lysander felt so aggravated now. He BADLY needed to itch an itch and he BADLY needed to talk…do you know how HORRIBLE it is to not talk at all?! Poor Sander...

Lysander thought that when he gets out of the icy thing, he wants to take lessons on how to sleep with your eyes opened, which would save him a lot of time!

_**Ten Stinking Long Minutes Later…**_

Everyone was out, except Lysander.

Lysander had half a mind to make a noise out of anger but he had another half that told him to stay calm.

His mind told him to make noise; his heart told him not to and will scold him for making noise. Then he felt it! If the ice hadn't been there, his head would have jolted up, but then, if the ice wasn't there, what's the point in waiting?

Exactly the point…

Lysander felt eager and relieved. _Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! _Lysander thought with a happy feeling welling in his body. He waited a minute longer before thrust the ice away from him. He gasped with relief and surprise at how much warmer the air is on the outside world. He cracked his hands and neck, loving the feeling and ability to move yet again. He looked up in the pouring sky, whooping with joy and nearly laughed his head off.

"Feels good, huh, Sander?" Tancred said, grinning.

"Sure does," he replied. "I feel so hyper and energetic!"

"We all do!" Emma said surely.

"Come on, let's go!" Gabriel said, leading the way back with the Flames.

"Wait, go where?" asked Lysander.

"To Bloor's, we have to figure what the swirl thingy is!" Billy said, pointing to the effective portal like thing in the raining sky.

"Oh, yikes…" Lysander looked up; squinting to avoid the rain drops dripping from the inky smeared like sky with the graying clouds that held a lifetime supply of lightning bolts.

Okay, perhaps not lifetime supplies of bolts, at least an eternity. No, just playing!

"You forgot about that?" Charlie said with a little smile.

"Yeah…yeah, I did." Lysander muttered. "Well," he looked back to the others. "Let's go then,"

So again, Gabriel led the way with the Flames who walked close to his side, alert for any danger lurking in the looming woods.

The nearer the came towards the school grounds, the louder the screams and shouts of pleads were. It would've been perfectly matched as a banshee's cry.

The girls flinched as if someone with freakishly long nails scratched the nails down a chalkboard.

Charlie and the other boys slowly inched forward, moving braches away as they made snapping sounds. Dead brown leaves crunch when their shoes made contact with the earthy forest floor, not knowing if the winds will blow them away or if they would stay pinned to the ground if the boys stopped moving because they were frightened.

Once in a while, an earsplitting shriek would make them stop and reconsider what they were doing but the Flames urged them on against their own little wills that most of them hadn't even thought about their deathly will.

"I don't think I can go," Fidelio said in a small voice.

"Why not?" asked Charlie.

"Because I haven't even started my will yet,"

See what I mean?

"Come on Fido!" Charlie said, grabbing his friend's wrist and dragging him onward against his not-yet-done will.

"No, NO! Not him! Don't take Charlie!" a high pitched voice screamed out dreadfully frantically. "ANYTHING but him; he's just a boy!"

"Mom!" Charlie yelled worriedly.

Mrs. Bone looked to the entrance of the woods and her eyes spelled out, 'Y-O-U A-R-E I-N T-R-O-U-B-L-E M-I-S-T-E-R-!

Charlie stopped in his tracks when he saw a tall buff man prodding Charlie's parents with a spear. "LEAVE THEM ALONE!" Charlie shouted with fury.

"Aww, is this the boy you were talking about? Why isn't he the cutest little thing?" a woman said in a mock cooing voice as she came nearer and nearer with an electrifying neon colored whip that hummed like a lightsaver from Star Wars.

"Dannielle, could you whip us up a _fire _the next time we go camping so we can cook some _balls _of marshmallows?" Emma asked in a low voice.

"That is, if you're all alive by then!" the woman cackled, drawing he whip out while it made a loud snapping sound on the ground. The place where the whip made contact with burned and in less than ten seconds went on fire. The grass went black and scorched and the small of burnt grass made the kids cough.

"Yes, cough my little pretties, cough!" she cooed as she stepped towards them one foot after the other in a slow dramatic way.

"Now Dannielle!" Emma coughed out before falling on her knees.

Dannielle turned away and coughed violently. She held out a palm, close to her so the woman wouldn't see what she was up to. Then she made a small slashing movement with her other hand over her palm and, like magic, fire popped up and she gave a coughing smile, if you know what it means.

She suddenly twisted around to throw the flame over her shoulder, blowing at it.

The lady ducked and twirled with bent knees with one leg out and kicked back the fire to them with a raised eyebrow. "Is that it? Poor little Dannielle, can't even hit a target, even when it's not moving…tsk, tsk…"

Dannielle narrowed her eyes at the lady and gritted her teeth in anger."What's going on?" she snarled.

"Nothing you wouldn't want to know," the woman snapped.

"Then whatever I don't want to know, I want to know!" Dannielle scowled.

"Too bad!" the woman said icily as she sharpened her nails by rubbing them together at the edge.

"Charlie…" Mrs. Bone pleaded. "Don't do anything stupid!"

"Do I EVER do anything stupid?" asked Charlie.

"I rather not answer that sweetie," Mrs. Bone said in a choked voice.

"WAIT!" a voice screamed out.

The woman turned scowling and her face suddenly turned pink. "Mrs. Johnson, I thought you wanted me to kill them…uh…I'm so very sorry I gave you a mean look, I thought…you see…" she stammered as Charlie stuck out his tongue at her.

"Enough!" Mrs. Johnson snarled. "We need the Mighty One to decide that!"

"Yes, of course, silly of me," the woman muttered.

"You are dismissed Helena, go and whip those three, they were spotted sneaking out by George and Howard, go. But the baby will have to be whipped harder if it wants to behave in the future…" Mrs. Johnson said icily.

Emma gasped. "You can't whip a baby!" she cried, tears running down her cheek for she knew how that felt before, when she was still under Manfred's horrible trance. "That's cruel!"

"Cruel is my middle name," Mrs. Johnson sneered.

"It's true," Helena said solemnly. "Mrs. Leah Cruel 'Gosten' Johnson is standing right in front of you! Her twin's middle name was Vindictive, Vindi for short!"

"Hush now Helena," Mrs. Johnson said strictly.

"I was just saying…" she muttered.

"Now you all come with me now and I'll safely guide you to the Mighty One up there," Mrs. Johnson said in a mock cheery voice.

Charlie scoffed. "As if, why would we do something like that?"

"Guards," Mrs. Johnson muttered in a sly voice.

The guards shoved Mr. and Mrs. Bone towards a pit behind the oak tree fill with water near the brim. Charlie leaned over a little and saw to his horror, little piranhas fighting each other for a piece of meat. Charlie hoped that it wasn't human meat.

"Okay…" he said wearily. "We will go…at least, I will…"

Olivia and Charlie's parents looked at him bewildered. "What? You can't! I won't let you!" Olivia cried angrily, not believing what Charlie just said.

"I have no choice Livvy, I have to…" Charlie said snappily.

"Why don't you think up a plan where both groups are safe Mr. I-Plan-It-All guy?" Olivia hissed.

"Look!" Charlie said angrily. "I don't have the time, and would you just drop it? It's bad enough to go but do you have to rub it in?"

Olivia stayed silent, starting to despise Charlie. Mrs. Johnson smiled with an ebil chuckle. "I see that you saw it my ways…come now, your leader has chosen, he says that you all might die along with him…guards,"

Everyone yelped with pain as a burly guard gripped their arms tightly and dragged them against their will, or their not yet made up will as we were talking about a few seconds ago, depending on how fast you read.

Mrs. Johnson looked around and saw the people screaming, sobbing, feeling the glory she had done. She breathed in and exhaled with a satisfied smile. "I think this is my lucky day," she said to herself. "And what a lovely birthday present I got, too bad my dear poor sister isn't here to enjoy it…ah well, more power for me…and only me!"


	36. Temper

Feeling hurt and betrayed, Olivia was shoved rudely under the blackening, inky sky, occupied with dealing with the massive swirling thing. How could he betray all of them? She gritted her teeth angrily and stumbled into Emma.

Emma gasped with pain as the guards snapped on cuffs to her ankles and hands. Her wrists and ankles were starting to redden with pain and she felt the pain shooting up her feet and hands every time she moved them, the worst were her feet.

Charlie tried to think something up but he's easily distracted. He needed the idea train to come on time or else his time will be delayed.

"Come here," a guard said gruffly.

Charlie, dragging his feet because of his chains, obediently stepped up with a heavy heart. The others followed suit, looking at Charlie with a pained face.

"Good, in a few minute's time, the Mighty One will then choose your fate. Don't, move." he said coldly as he sidestepped Charlie and walked away, leaving the empty area to the kids in chains.

Now's the time Charlie made a plan, and he better do it now or else…bad things will happen. He felt the extreme heat blazing around and soon, the fire would have to stop for there was nothing else to burn, except if you include human beings.

(WOO! Sorry but I HAD to put this on! For me, it's May 21st and the last day of school! Yes, I finished school for now…back to the story.)

_Think Charlie, think. _he thought anxiously. Then…

"HEY, BARFBRAIN!" Charlie yelled to Mrs. Johnson.

Mrs. Jonson didn't stop walking off, in fact, she was pleasantly smiling.

"HEY YOU! YEAH, YOU! WITH THE UGLY WIG! I'M TALKING TO YOU, JOHNSON!" Charlie yelled.

"What are you trying to do, get yourself killed?" Olivia asked in disbelief.

"No, I'm saving us," Charlie muttered.

"By insulting the enemy? Oh yeah, real nice! Let's go insult the enemy so we'll be safe! Nice going Charlie!" Olivia snapped impatiently.

"Just follow my lead," Charlie muttered back.

Olivia opened her mouth to say something but she couldn't manage to spit it out so she just groaned and glared.

"WHAT ARE YOU, CHICKEN TO TALK?" Charlie mocked. He then made rude loud chicken sounds.

Mrs. Johnson stopped and spun around, grinning. "I know what you're doing Mr. Charlie Bone, and I must say that you need work on it." And with that she turned away and kept on going as if Charlie didn't do anything at all.

Charlie looked around and spotted a rock chunk. He slowly reached down and picked it up, throwing it up and down a few times before proceeding with the plan. He looked at the guards; they were all busy fingering their spears, checking if it's pointy enough. Charlie looked at his target and back at the guards. He glanced at his friends who looked at him with a look, which meant 'Don't do it or you'll get us killed in one of your "brilliant" plans'.

Charlie paid no attention to those looks and he raised his hand a bit and threw with all his might.

He watched anxiously for the rock was his only chance. The stone flew through the air and thumped Mrs. Johnson at the back of her head with a loud thump. She stopped and turned, hand flying up to the now forming bruise.

"You," she murmured ebilly at Charlie.

Charlie didn't smile back but in his mind, he was grinning broadly. "Yeah, me." he said simply, looking around as if looking for anyone else who could've thrown the stone. "I did that, now what are you going to do with me?"

"Nothing, I was just wondering," Mrs. Johnson said with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh yeah? Well…your husband told me that you stink!" Charlie said, trying desperately to upset her.

"About time his nose went all messed up, I've been waiting to get him a nose transplant," Mrs. Johnson said.

"Is that even possible?" Charlie asked Billy who shrugged.

"If you don't have anything to say, then don't say anything at all!" she scowled.

"I THINK YOU'RE A WEAK UGLY WOMAN!" Charlie roared.

"I think so too," she replied.

"You're nosy!" Olivia pitched in.

"Yes, and I'm proud of it!" Mrs. Johnson said, smiling.

"You're a nincompoop!'' Charlie yelled.

"Nincompoop?" Dannielle said, staring at Charlie.

"What? It's not too bad and it's not too good, is it?" Charlie said defensively.

Dannielle shook her head, smiling a little.

"YOU'RE A HORRIBLE, EVIL, HAG!" Olivia shouted.

Mrs. Johnson took a tiring sigh and said, "You're not going to stop, are you?"

"No we won't!" Charlie barked.

"Then I shall leave," Mrs. Johnson said curtly.

"What, wait, no!" Charlie said in alarm. "You can't!"

"Why not?" she asked in a bored tone.

"Because…I am about to call you a…a…bitch!"

Everyone who heard stared and Mrs. Johnson scowled. "You take that back!"

Charlie, knowing that he succeeded, stuck out his tongue.

She gasped and then she picked up the rock Charlie threw and hurtled it back. She missed and it hit Charlie's chains. The woman threw it so hard, that the chains broke. "Temper, temper…" Charlie said, smiling broadly.

Mrs. Johnson screamed with fury. "What?" Charlie said, shrugging. "All I called you was a female dog!"

Tancred made a funny sound, more like a laughing sound.

Charlie ducked as Mrs. Johnson threw her shoe at him. "I'll be back later guys!" Charlie said quickly. He ran to who knows where. He went over people, around trees, dodging guards, keeping a keen eye on Mrs. Johnson once in a while.

He knew he was safe if he went back in the woods…the Flames would protect him…but wait, where are they???


	37. An Endless Torture

"Flames!" Charlie called as he walked around carefully in the woods. "Where are you?"

He looked up into the sky and saw many dark swirling clouds. "Oh boy…" he muttered "oh no…Flames! WHERE ARE YOU?!?!"

He stopped and froze to see if he could hear an answer. His eyes jerked to a bush, where he saw movement. "Hello? Aries?"

He spun around, looking bewilderedly around. "Are you there?"

He gaped and turned when he heard leaves crunching. He saw nothing though. He looked around at the dead trees with leftover leaves hanging loosely. The bright red, orange, and brown leaves whipped around his legs and he heard something snap. He looked up and a tree branch was shaking as if something had already run across.

Charlie was feeling a bit freaked out. He backed up and called out in a shivering voice, "Come out Aries! Leo, I know you're there! Sagittarius, I'm not fooled! All of you come out!"

Still nothing…

"Guys! I'm not kidding! I need your help and I don't have time for this!" Charlie said angrily.

He heard a brief rustle and he spun around, hoping that it would be them. Nothing… He groaned. This was going to take a while…

_**Back at Bloors…**_

__Emma and Dannielle exchanged nervous glances. "Does Tancred and Olivia have rows like this?" asked Dannielle.

"Almost every time," Emma said warily.

"We don't need to think up a perfect plan, we'll think it up as we go!" Olivia hollered haughtily.

"We need a good plan and I think we should all follow MY lead!" Tancred shouted stubbornly.

"YOUR lead? MY lead is more like it!" Olivia yelled, glaring.

"As if! I'm older AND more responsible than you are!" Tancred bellowed, flaring his nostrils.

"Guys! We don't need to fight over who's in charge!" Ben said, cutting Olivia off with a glare. "Don't we have enough problems now?"

"Stay out of this!" Olivia scowled.

"He can cut in whenever he wants!" Tancred said approvingly. "He just cut you off!"

"You take that back!" Olivia snarled.

"Why? I don't want it!" Tancred roared.

Olivia leapt to him angrily as if she was a dog attacking the mailman every morning at six.

Tancred yanked on his chain as if he could somehow break it as he leaned forward to Olivia to snarl, "Look at you, you're angry and ugly like an old dog!"

"Tancred!" Emma snapped.

"What? She IS!" Tancred said, furrowing his eyebrows.

Olivia backed up a little and she leapt again, plopping down on the ground, growling.

"Both of you STOP IT!" Gabriel ordered, yanking back on Olivia's chain hardly.

Emma grabbed a hold on Tancred's chain and held him back the best she could, leaning away to use her body weight to prevent Tancred from leaping, just in case if something goes horribly wrong. "Tancred, stop it this instant!" Emma said firmly as her feet slid forward ever so slightly.

"Guys, GUYS! We have company here!" Fidelio said in a loud voice, eyeing the company in disgust.

"I haven't seen you guys in a while…" said Dagbert Endless, smirking.

"We don't miss you at all. Why are you here?" asked Lysander in a dangerous tone.

"Because, I'm endowed and I'm at this dance…Tancred, you looked so…lively than the last time I saw you." Dagbert said in a sly voice, walking around the party slowly, eyeing them.

"No, why are you here in this area? Shouldn't you be running for your life?" Lysander snarled.

"Oh, I just LOVE seeing people being tortured, it's so fun being evil, isn't it?" Dagbert said in an almost cooing voice.

"What do YOU want?" Emma asked him in a scowling voice.

"You don't really have much manners, do you Tolly?" Dagbert said smugly.

"Watch it Endless," Tancred snarled.

"Well, we have a pair of lovebirds." a female voice came behind Dagbert.

"Dorcas," Emma muttered under her breath with gritted teeth.

"Don't they look so good together? Tolly and Torrson…and Tolly, holding him back from what? Vertigo?"

Olivia pulled her chain even more, glaring at Dorcas who laughed (I would shudder if I were you, her laugh is HORRIBLE!). "And I guess you and Dagbert here are a perfect couple," Lysander said, saving Olivia, Tancred, and Emma from further embarrassment.

The two ignored it and looked around. "Where's Bone, he should be in the group of freaks," Dorcas said snottily.

"As if you're not one," Olivia retorted.

"Me? A freak? No, MY power is much more valuable than yours, whatever you do," Dorcas said, examining Olivia from head to toe. "And I'm much more prettier too…"

Olivia's eyes was about to leak so Emma and Dannielle both said, "She's ten thousand times better AND prettier than you!"

Dorcas and Dagbert glared at them. Dagbert made his way to Emma (because he knew Tancred cared for her the most and they ARE mortal enemies) and Dorcas went towards Dannielle (just because there's no other girl who spoke up).

Billy got in front of Dannielle, wondering nervously what to do afterwards. Tancred pulled Emma towards himself. "Stay back Endless," Tancred warned, wind picking up and lighting crackling above.

Emma's eyes widen with fright and she stepped back, blushing furiously.

Dannielle held on to Billy's shoulders, whimpering with fear. "Billy…don't hurt yourself," Dannielle squeaked.

Billy gave a tiny nod, looking up at the older girl with fright as she grinned ebilly. "Aw…another couple? What is this, Valentine's Day? Must be horrible day for you today…" Dorcas looked up at Dagbert who nodded at her.

Dorcas, with one hand, dragged Billy away from Dannielle and Dagbert grabbed Emma's wrists and jerked her away from Tancred, who caught Emma by her arms. "Dorcas, give me a hand!" Dagbert hollered, pulling.

"Let go of her!" Tancred scowled.

Emma yelped with pain as the two boys played tug-of-war with her, each boy had conquered one arm and they were going to rip her in half if someone doesn't rescue her.

Dannielle was trapped in one of Dorcas's shriveling shawl (is that what it was called?) and was gasping for breath.

Billy leaped forward at her, desperate to free Dannielle but the chains held him back and Dannielle was out of reach. "Dannielle! DON'T PANIC!" Billy yelled.

It was difficult to see if Dannielle had understood or not, she was making a lot of choking sounds and was sobbing.

Billy couldn't stand her cry. He yelled even harder, "Don't worry, you'll be okay! Just don't panic!"

Lysander and Olivia leaped forward to help Tancred but there was not much they could do without hurting Emma.

Emma gasped with pain and tears dripped down her pretty face. Dagbert made sure he and Dorcas were out of reach from the other kids and they yanked Emma's arm. Emma gave out a cry of pain and she bowed her head, sobbing as hard as Dannielle was.

"Emma, don't give up!" Tancred said urgently, tugging of her arm a little bit harder.

The other good endowed were trying to reach either Dannielle or Emma but the stupid #%^$* (um…pardon my French) chain wouldn't budge.

Ben and Gabriel could reach Dannielle but as they tried to tear the grey sticky substance, Dannielle was limp, but she was still alive. She had fainted. "Dannielle, wake up!" Gabriel begged, shaking her shoulders.

Dannielle's head turned the other way and drooped on her left shoulder. "What _is_ this stuff?" Ben asked in disgust as he tore the grey shawl away from the little girl's body.

"Some kid of shawl that Dorcas made I bet," Gabriel muttered, picking the grey stuff out of his fingernails.

Billy was watching as he shed a few simple tears. He looked up as Emma gave out another cry in pain.

"Emma!" he cried, suddenly realizing what else was happening. He watched in horror as the boys, plus two girls tugged. Yes, Lysander counts as one of the boys helping Tancred.

"Y-yes?!" Emma sobbed out.

"Hang on, I'll try to call for help!" He reached into his pocket and he held a cell phone.

"Where did you get that?" asked Fidelio, surprised. "I thought they were supposed to be confiscated at school.

"They are but I stole one from Manfred's office when he wasn't looking." Billy said, giving Fidelio a little smile. He flipped up the top and dialed in a number, 638-5483.

"Who are you calling?" Fidelio asked curiously.

"Mr. Onimous, he'll know what to do!" Billy answered, looking around anxiously.

Dagbert and Tancred were yelling over who gets the girl and Dorcas was shouting names at Olivia and Lysander was having trouble because of all the ancestors 'shouting' advices and pounding drums in his mind. Emma was still crying and she was being jerked one way and then the other. Dannielle was still unconscious, Ben and Gabriel were about to get tangled in the sticky thing. Fidelio was staring at him. "Are you okay Billy?"

"Yeah, I'm-oh, Mr. Onimous! I need your help! Bloor's, mayhem, trouble, kidnapping, evil, witches, help!" Billy stuttered out.

Fidelio listened and all he could hear was absolute gibberish, but that was because Billy's ear was muffling the sound. Billy nodded and said, "Thank you very much!" He hung up and looked up, suddenly screaming, "WATCH OUT!"

Everyone near him looked up and screamed, ducking, except Tancred, Dagbert, and Emma who was still being tugged. Poor girl, she'll be ripping to pieces!

A green fireball was zooming around their heads and was sending a tree into emerald flames. Both Tancred and Dagbert were alarmed by it and they loosened their grips a little but then Dorcas sprang up and grabbed a hold of Tancred's hair, making him shouting, "SANDER, GET HER OFF ME!"

Lysander climbed back onto his feet and he tried to dig his fingernails into Dorcas's skin. She yelped but she didn't let go.

Olivia didn't want her friend to suffer any longer so she jumped onto Dagbert's back and pulled at his shoulder length hair. "LET GO OF MY FRIEND!" Olivia screamed, yanking and pulling and tugging and wrenching and jerking and snatching his hair away.

Dagbert let out a scream. "DORCAS, PULL ON TOLLY FOR ME I-I-I N-N-n-need m-m-my g-g-g-golden a-a-animals!!!" He made a choking sound and he let go when Dorcas hopped over to Emma and she grabbed on tight, still trying to resist Lysander's pinches.

He tried to ignore Olivia and his hair as he dug his hands into his pockets and he sighed in relief.

He leaned to the side and Olivia toppled over onto the ground and she moaned with pain.

Then he turned around and concentrated.

Everyone, including Dorcas, paused for a while to notice the salty misty air. Then they saw to their horror the watery air and they all began to gasp for air.

Dagbert was enjoying himself. "I love my endowment," he sighed.

"Dagbert…what about me?" Dorcas gasped.

"I don't care about you; I needed someone female and strong enough to do my work." Dagbert snarled.

Dorcas stared at him, more like glaring actually and then she let out a shivering sigh and coughed.

"STOP!" a voice rang out.

Everyone looked up; it was an unfamiliar voice, except to Dagbert. "I NEED THEM ALIVE, NOT DEAD!" the voice boomed.

Dagbert sighed and then groaned. He dropped the powers and everyone fell to their knees (excluding Dannielle) and coughed.

Dorcas was still gripping onto to Emma's arm but her grip was loose. But then the voice said, "No Dorcas, I no longer need you…although I WILL use your body…"

Dorcas's eyes widen with fear. "No!" she shrieked, getting up on her feet.

Too late… He eyes glowed red and she bent down to grab Emma's arm obediently as if she was under a trance, or if she was a robot.

Her eyes still glowed red and she said in a robotic tone, "What do you want me to do with her?"

"Pull her out of their reach." the voice said slyly.

Tancred and Lysander braced themselves to grab a hold of Emma harder and Emma whimpered with fear.

Dorcas, with one swift move, jerked and Tancred and Lysander fell forward. Lysander lost his grip but Tancred held on to Emma's fingers desperately. "Emma!" he shouted.

"Tancred!" Emma yelled with a hopeless tone as she was being dragged away.

"Emma…" Tancred whispered with his eyes welling with tears. "No…"


	38. The Cliffy Chapter AKA The Girl

Charlie gave up looking for the Flames so he sneaked back to his friends. He peered out to see if the coast was clear but to his horror, he saw them all weeping.

He looked around in case if Mrs. Johnson was around but seeing that she was not, he crept forward. "What's going on?" he asked, shaking Ben on the shoulders.

Ben looked up, wiping a tear away. "It was horrible…I never thought I would feel that! It was TORTURE!"

"What was torture?" Charlie asked urgently, looking around.

"It was him…he's back! He took them away! There was nothing we could do! Him…her…" Billy sobbed, hugging Charlie's feet.

"Who's back, who was taken away?" asked Charlie, looking around nervously to see if Olivia was still here. To his relief, she was but she was crying so hard, she was talking gibberish to the emerald burning tree.

"Emma…they took Emma…" Tancred moaned forlornly.

"No…not Emma!" Charlie said in disbelief and terror. Emma? How could they take sweet Emma? "Who else?"

"Dannielle…" Billy answered tearfully, rocking back and forth as he hugged his own knees.

"No…not her!" Charlie fell to his knees, emotion swelling in him. "What kind of monster would take them?"

"Endless…" Lysander moaned with grief. "And I just found out they took Lauren too!"

"No…no, no, no, no, no!" Charlie covered his face with his hands, thinking, _It's MY fault I wasn't there to help! I wasn't here for them and I let three people slip away from my grip! It's MY fault! It's my bloody fault! I'm a complete failure! _

"Endless, DAGBERT Endless?" Charlie muttered.

"The one and only," Tancred said with gritted teeth. "I'm going to go track him down and get everyone back!"

"We have to find out where he went though!" Gabriel said in a shivering voice.

"The only way is Charlie's wand or the Flames…and seeing that you came back without them I guess we'll have to go find your wand…" Lysander said shakily.

Charlie blinked. "How did you know I was going to find the Flames?" Lysander didn't answer.

"Okay...Team Animal; check the ruins for the wand!" Lysander pointed to Billy, Tancred, and Ben.

The three scattered off.

"Team Animal?" Charlie said, raising an eyebrow.

"What? It was the only 'a' word that popped up in my mind that time…" Lysander shrugged, sounding less shaky. "Team Balloon, the gardens for the injured, bring them back to safety outside of school grounds." He pointed to Fidelio and Charlie.

"What? I'm on Team BALLOON?" Charlie said, stunned.

"Shush!" Lysander said. "Team Can-opener, you check the school ruins for the Flames." He pointed to Olivia, Gabriel, and then him. He then paused and shot a look at Charlie who tried to hide his laugh by coughing.

"What? You're Team 'Can-opener'! How am I supposed to not laugh at that?" Charlie asked defensively.

_**At The Ebil Side…**_

__Dagbert looked around. He gathered some ev-ebil kids from around the world and there was plenty.

"Right…" he said. "Team Anvil, guard the hostages." He pointed to seven people.

"Team Buttocks-"

"Buttocks?" a guy said in disgust as others laughed. "Why 'Buttocks'?"

"The only word I could think up that starts with 'b' right now!" Dagbert said defensively. "Team Buttocks, scout the perimeter!" He pointed to fourteen people.

He looked around and saw many more people. "Team Crack, check the scared kids outside and see if Charlie Bone is one of them." He pointed to twenty people. "Team Doggy-doo-doo…" (People laughed for ten minutes at this) "Yes…it's funny…" Dagbert said tonelessly. "Burn down every single tree. Team Earwax…"

_**Five Minutes Later…**_

__"I have GOT to stop thinking up stupid names..." Dagbert muttered _**after**_ he said, "Team Hairy-ape, go torture people."

_**ANOTHER Five Minutes Later…**_

At last, he was down to seven more people. "Team… Pills, go find Charlie Bone in the woods."

They went off and Dagbert sighed. "Alone at last…"

"Endless!"

Dagbert looked up in alarm. "What?" he asked stubbornly.

Mrs. Johnson walked up to him. "I need to explain the plan to someone as commanding as you."

"Leah, Leah, Leah…I already know your plan! You're waiting for the Mighty One or whatever to judge Bone's friends, if they are found too good, they get swallowed up, if not and they are freed, they will eventually come here and try to get their pathetic friends back. But we'll be here to slay them in front of their friends and then we feed the three girls to the alligators in the creek, and to the Bloor's, they give us our rewards and they kick everybody out and are free to search the kids' homes for the Endowed Spells and will use that against the mayor and rule over this city and then start ruling over other cities…but that sounds a bit too unrealistic…especially that end where the Bloor's will do off with EVERY SINGLE ENDOWED CHILD IN THE-"

"NOT OUT LOUD YOU FOOL!" Mrs. Johnson said, giving you, yes, that's right, YOU, the readers, where was I, oh yeah…giving you a nasty look. (All readers, line up to kick her in the rear, only a dollar! Or what ever money you have right now! Oh…I'm going to be rich after this!)

"Well, sorry," he said sarcastically. He turned and walked off.

Mrs. Johnson stopped him and looked him in the eye. "Have you sent one of the Teams to go hunt down my Jessica?"

"Jessica?" Dagbert said confused.

"Jessie!"

"Oh! Her…yeah, I sent Team…er…" Dagbert stopped and laughed nervously.

"Team what? I must reward them if they succeed!" Mrs. Johnson said eagerly.

"Team…" Dagbert gulped. "Team Leah-Johnson-is-stupid…" he continued in a small voice.

Mrs. Johnson screeched, "WHAT?!?!?!?!?"

Dagbert turned and made a run for it, knowing that he would get into trouble when he comes back.

_**Team Animal…**_

__Billy, Tancred, and Ben were roaming around the ruins of the castle. They weren't as scared as they were long ago, mainly because many people were in there for shelter and since there were so many people, there were at least five people in every corridor. "I feel so much better now that there are plenty of people around, it's like being in one of the famous haunted houses!" Tancred said, looking around.

They descended off a flight of narrow, crooked stairs and onto another flight, looking at the eerie bones laid scattered around. Seven other people were huddled in a corner while at leas another six were at the other hall next to them.

"Here moth! Here Charlie's moth! Wand, whatever…" Ben called.

"We'll NEVER find it in here!" Tancred said angrily, kicking the stone wall with his foot.

"It might be!" Ben said, looking into the next corridor. The team turned a corner and stepped over many jagged rocks and boulders. "Man…what happened here anyway?" asked Ben, since he is not all that familiar to the Red King's story.

"Well, it's a bit of a secret actually," Billy said grimly as he looked away from a broken skull. "Its secrets might be engraved on the walls, in the castle filled with mirrors, the one that Tancred helped me and Charlie get to, Charlie actually went into one of them and saw the horrible past in the wall, maybe there's something like that around here somewhere…"

"I remember that," Tancred said, glancing to the walls. "I wonder if the queen's around here."

"The queen?" Ben said.

"Ezekiel accidentally brought her to life but as a horse." Billy said simply.

"He could do that?" asked Ben, wondering what other horror the old man could accomplish. "Shouldn't he be dead right now?"

"We all wish he would someday." Tancred said, giving Ben a smile.

"Hey, what's that?" Billy looked to his left as he saw something glowing gold.

"Hey, there's a message!" Tancred exclaimed, running up to it. He kneeled over it and brushed away the dust that remained there. "Oh wow, check this out!"

Ben and Billy huddled around the writing and read:

_With the light_

_Shining clear,_

_Five but one perishes_

_Before twilight begins._

_Savor the defeat,_

_But quiver with fear,_

_Three prisoners, three hostages_

_Are fed as bait._

_Drive many out and drive one in,_

_Not I a seer,_

_But for the one who's in_

_Has not, but fear._

"Okay, there's so many poems, why so many?" asked Tancred warily.

"This one doesn't rhyme though," Billy piped up.

"They don't have to rhyme," Ben said, wiping some dust off to make the description clearer.

"Poems are so difficult to understand… in writing and in meaning," Tancred said, standing back up to stretch.

"Well, the second line of each stanza rhymes." Billy said thoughtfully.

"True, very, very true." Tancred and Ben said simultaneously in a thinking tone.

"I better take a picture of it just in case if we need to see it again, we need to use it as a clue, besides, we might not be able to find this room again." Ben said, pulling out his camera and brushing the dirt off of it. Tancred and Billy waited patiently as Ben tried to get it focused on the writing and took a photo.

Ben looked at the camera screen (yes, he has a digital camera; I wonder how it survived that long in the terror? Oh yeah! I made it so! Okay readers, carry on, and don't let me ruin your reading time!) and gaped at it. "Hey guys, look at this!"

"What?" asked Billy as he stood on his tip toes to look at it. "What does it say, I can't see well."

Tancred strolled over and read over Ben's shoulders. Under the last stanza, another group of words appeared in red ink, written quite messily. "He who fear may never return, she who cries will depart forever…"

"How did that get there?" asked Ben, looking up from the screen to the blank space beneath the last stanza on the ancient wall. "Maybe it has something to do with the flash…"

"Creepy…" Billy complimented as he walked away.

"Spooky…" a female voice said behind them.

The boys spun around and screamed, backing up. Billy, who was the closest, ran to the older boys and hid behind Tancred. Ben's eyes were fixed on the face and Tancred's eyes were fixed on the feet.

Before them is a floating ghostly girl with blood red hair and no face at all. Her image was part translucent, except her hair. She held a bloody non-translucent knife in her right hand which she held above her head. Billy closed his eyes with fright; she was the most frightening image he had ever seen in his life. Tancred looked around the room and to his horror; there was no one else in there. Ben was shivering, closing his eyes but the image of her remained in his mind, even if he closed his eyes real tight.

The faceless girl loomed over them and held the knife really high and swung down with all her might…

_**Team Balloon…**_

__"I'm on Team _Balloon_ Fido, we're on Team _Balloon_! What kind of name is _Team Balloon???_" Charlie asked with enthusiasm.

"I don't know but I DO know that if you don't stop complaining, we'll never get the job done! Especially hard for two people but if one is working and the other is complaining, I don't think we'll be able to rescue them all!" Fidelio said, helping a young boy with a broken leg walk to the gates.

"He's right you know," the little boy said with pain as he limped along with the help of Fidelio.

"Okay, fine. OKAY EVERYONE, WE'RE GOING TO HELP YOU GET OUT OF HERE SINCE THIS IS-I MEAN, WAS- OUR SCHOOL AND WE KNOW MORE THINGS ABOUT THIS AREA SO FOLLOW US AND HELP THE INJURED OUT OF HERE!!!" Charlie yelled as loud as he managed behind him at the crowd hiding under trees, behind boulders, and just in the middle of the fields.

"Hey, isn't that the girl who got their attention hours ago?" Fidelio asked when he saw Azura jogging up to them.

"Did you see ze green fire ball coming to you?" she asked briskly.

"Yeah, it nearly killed us!" Charlie said with a worried tone.

Fidelio elbowed him and said to Azura, "Yeah, what was it for?"

"I waz trying to help you, getting zat boy and zat girl off of you friends. Zat girl zat was being pulled seemed miserable…" she said gloomily.

"Emma! I forgot! Where is she anyway, with Dannielle and Lauren?" Fidelio said.

"Do you know where they went?" asked Charlie. The three were walking and the boy was limping with Fidelio. The rest of the kids were trudging behind, some in front.

"I believe they went off the grounds," Azura said, looking ahead.

"Where are your brothers?" asked Fidelio.

"Calogero and Aldric? They are still helping the injured like you said." Azura replied, looking back.

"CHARLIE! FIDELIO!" a voice called from behind.

The two boys turned their heads and grinned wearily. "Allie! Sasha! We haven't seen you for hours! Where have they taken you? Where's Mrs. Onimouses sister? What happened?" Charlie exclaimed as the two girls caught up.

Sasha looked vividly lively and excited. She has probably never had a crazy adventure like this. "We were in a different cell, we saw you guys past us but we were gagged and tied up! We finally got loose when Allie started to cut the ropes with her nails! Her nails are sharp but it took FOREVER to do that but she finally did it with our help! Then she untied us and Onnora sent us off to the gardens and she said she will report to the police station and that's the last time we saw her and heard from her, we've been here helping the injured ever since!"

"Great, we need your help, help everyone and get everyone out of the school grounds, I'll go and find Lysander to report Dagbert running off outside the grounds!" Charlie said eagerly.

"Wait, Charlie…" Fidelio started.

But Charlie had to go and run off to Team Can-opener and leave Fidelio, Azura, Allie, and Sasha alone…how rude!

"Hey, Fidelio…" Allie started when she heard screaming in the background.

"Yeah? Oh whoa…" Fidelio's jaws dropped as he looked up. The boy started to cry and Sasha backed up to Allie who held her close.

(Okay, okay, I'm getting a bit off topic here, so for those who are wondering what the main idea is, it is that Charlie and his friends are trying to destroy the Red King statue so the strong power (that is not love) will be destroyed so no one will use it for ebil, but they also have to stop Mrs. Johnson and the other witches from starting a nuclear war, which the power starting the nuclear war is in the statue and they need to get rid of Charlie and his friends to get to it. Kidnapping Emma, Dannielle, and Lauren will distract the group from the main thing and Mr. Onimous will arrive shortly, just not now. And the plan that Dagbert revealed earlier, that was just for the witch's entertainment. Does that help? Okay good…)

The thing walked up to them, or floated to them. It was the faceless girl, the one with blood red hair, the ghostly one. She had bloody stains on her clothing, not like last time. Her knife was even more bloodier then last time and she grew slits for eyes. The slits were red.

(Have I ever told you the time I got my first cut? I was only one! What? You want to read the rest of the story? Well hold on! And don't you DARE scroll down! Uh…I shouldn't have given you that suggestion have I? Well anyway, my first cut was VERY surprising to me! I cried…yeah, I cried… Have I ever told you about my first crush??? What? Story again??? Fine, okay…Back to the story…Have I ever-OKAY ALREADY I'LL GET BACK TO THE STORY!!!!)

Since the majority of you wanted to find out what happened next, here it is…even though I am telling it against my will…I haven't even told you all about my first tornado! Anyway…

The boy held his head against Fidelio's side and Fidelio shivered continuously. Allie and Azura stood in front of Sasha but they were both quivering with fear. Both of them would have nightmares later on. And for the sky was dark and stormy, it was even more frightening.

The ghastly girl held her knife up high and it grew sharper and sharper. The kids stumbled back cowardly. Azura looked around. No one else looked like they saw they bloody girl. She held Allie and Sasha close and behind for she was the eldest of them all. Fidelio pulled the little boy back behind Azura and let out short rapid breaths.

The blade shone for a split second and the girl threw down the knife towards Fidelio and the others.

(Have I ever told you the time I had gone to a Christmas convention thing? There was a man dressed as a snowman and see, I was four and I was afraid so I cried, not my little brother though but he cried when he saw Santa! I didn't cry when I saw him but he did! Let me guess, the story? Fine…On to the story…Have I- OKAY! OKAY! No need to attack me! Golly! Nah, just kidding! Okay, okay, the story, I promise! But the chapter is done so haha!)


	39. An Important Clue

_**Team Can-opener…plus Charlie**_

__Charlie shook his head vigorously. "No, Dagbert is out of the school grounds, not the ruins, well, he _is_ out of the ruins but he left the grounds too!"

Lysander, Olivia, and Gabriel listened to Charlie's story with grim and surprised faces.

"Emma!" Olivia cried eagerly. "Dannielle and Lauren! Are they okay? Oh, the next time I see that horrible Dagbert Endless, I'm going to…ohhh…."

"It's okay Livvy, we'll get our revenge!" Charlie said firmly, gripping both of Olivia's wrist. "We'll save the other girls too!"

They were all located in the woods, not too far in and not too close to the school. There was no sun leaking through the leafy canopy this time, there was darkness all over. Olivia's dress was now worn, messy, and torn, not to mention battered ever since the incident. Everyone else's formal wear were in the same state. They all look a mess and didn't seem to blend in with the magnificent red and orange golden leaves; however, their expressions matched the cold sky. Charlie didn't know what else to do, now that life seemed to have no meaning, despite the encouraging things he said to Olivia.

Olivia eyes his face for a while and promptly said, "You're lying."

"What?" Charlie said, surprised.

"It's not okay, I know you mean well Charlie, but…I feel a dark force around here, I just don't know what it is…but it's coming closer!" she said jumpily. She looked around quickly.

Charlie and the others felt her nervousness. "Don't worry Liv," Gabriel said, although he felt worried himself. "It can't get us…"

"Yeah, I mean, we're endowed, there's no way the force could get us…" Charlie reassured Olivia.

"Oh yeah?" Olivia challenged. "How about now? We're kind of hopeless and lost! I mean, look at us! Does it look like we are victorious?"

The boys stayed silent, not knowing what to say to Olivia who kept ranting on.

"I mean, we've been up all night, we haven't eaten, we're all bruised and battered, our friends lost and we've been locked up in cells, we've been through fights, we have almost been drowned! We're hopeless Charlie Bone! Open your eyes, look around, listen to everything, can you not feel it? Can you not see or hear it?!" Olivia said heatedly, tears leaking down her face.

She glared into Charlie's eyes and then she turned away, crying. Charlie looked away, feeling hopeless like Olivia.

"Why does everything happen to us like this?" Olivia said shakily. "How does this start, why wouldn't this end already? There might be the end of the world for all we know, there could be something horrible going on right now and we're not here to stop it!"

Gabriel's head jerked up. He backed away from a bush and said in a quivering voice, "Um…guys…"

Lysander said, "Olivia, that's how things are! It happens to us because we're endowed, it's special and…on the bright side there's adventure!"

"Guys…" Gabriel said loudly.

"So this is a kind of curse?" Olivia said bitterly. "We're cursed when we were born, is that it? Just because we're magically endowed, it means that we're cursed, jinxed, hexed! It's not fair! I once lived like a normal person, now I'm not normal at all! It's not fair!"

"That's not true!" Charlie said, feeling blood throbbing trough his head.

"GUYS!" Gabriel screamed.

Olivia, Charlie, and Lysander spun around. They were about to shout 'What?!' but the sight of Gabriel stopped them.

"HELP!!!!" Gabriel screamed, grabbing on to the roots that poked up from the ground of a huge tree desperately. "HELP ME!"

"Gabe!" Charlie cried, leaping forward to grab Gabriel forward. He looked up at the creature pulling his friend away and he nearly let go.

The bloody girl was back. Back stronger, bloodier, knife longer and sharper than before, and her face had nothing else different, the red piercing eyes remained untouched.

But what was holding Gabriel back? The ghost girl's pale, part transparent, hand was grasping onto his ankle. The hand's grasp tightened so hard, that there was a loud audible crack along with an agonizing scream.

"GABRIEL!" Charlie, Olivia, and Lysander yelled anxiously. Olivia and Lysander ran up to help Charlie but the girl won't let go.

"Leave me! Save yourself!" Gabriel cried, pulling his arm out of reach of the others as he fought Charlie's hand off. "GO!"

"No, I won't let you do this to yourself!" Charlie hollered, picking up a stone and flinging it to the girl. The rock went through her but she turned her eyes to Charlie and they narrowed. Gabriel noticed that and pushed Charlie away. Charlie fell back on his bottom.

Charlie scrambled back to his feet but it was too late, Gabriel was pulled away into the depths of the eerie dark forest. The only thing they could hear was the horrible scream that Gabriel left ringing in their ears.

Everyone froze, breathing heavily and fearfully.

"That was horrible…" Olivia whispered, shedding tears.

"Why him? Why couldn't it be me?" asked Lysander hoarsely. "All my fault, it's my fault!"

"No…I didn't pull enough! If I could've just pulled him out harder this wouldn't have happened!" Charlie cried, banging a tree trunk with his fist, scraping it.

They were silent for a long time before Lysander finally said, "Come on, we can't stand around here like this anymore, we better go before that thing comes back!"

The three reluctantly left and entered the ruins, finding Team Animal to report the news.

"Billy!" Charlie called. "Tancred! Ben!!"

"Hello?" Olivia peered behind a corner and then turned around, looking at Charlie. "That's weird; no one else is here…maybe news spread around that everybody had to go outside of the school boundaries."

"Do you think they've been through here?" asked Lysander, examining the room.

"I don't know, probably…" Charlie murmured.

"Ugh, I want to go home and forget this ever happened!" Olivia sighed with impatience.

"She's probably mad because she didn't apply a fresh coat of make-up on!" Lysander muttered to Charlie who smiled.

"I heard that you know!" Olivia cried.

For the next few minutes, there was silence, unless, of course, you count the footsteps and the moving rocks that were shoved to find evidence Team Animal were here. Once in a while, Olivia would stumble on her high heels and would curse, and other times, there would be a yelp for someone would discover something venomous like a rattlesnake. Their heads would jerk up in alarm if they heard something or saw something suspicious, like the ghastly girl but they would look down in relief to find a small little mouse nibbling on a crumb or so.

Charlie and Lysander were working together to lift a boulder off the ground to reveal a tiny hole in the middle of the wall. Yes, it would be easier to move the rock by rolling it, if it was round. This boulder hat a flat side which prevented it from rolling.

"Why can't we push it? It would be easier!" Charlie protested.

"Okay then, push it." Lysander said backing up so Charlie could do it.

Charlie looked at the rock and then went to the side and pushed. It was no use. He tried again, using all of his body weight. Nope, it wouldn't budge. "That's a stubborn rock, almost as stubborn as Tancred," Charlie said, standing straight up again.

"That's because there's tar under it, someone doesn't want us to get in there." Lysander replied, kneeling down to show Charlie part of the sticky black tar. "It's nearly hardened for good."

"Do you think Dagbert and Dorcas went in there, through another way?" asked Charlie, mystified.

"Could be…" Lysander muttered, standing up and brushing imaginary dirt off his pants.

Olivia, who was listening came over and remarked, "So Emma, Dannielle, and Laure could be under there? Do you think they could hear us if we yell into the little gap that's showing?"

"We better not or else if they could hear it, the enemy could hear it and they'll know we're on to them." Charlie said unsteadily. "Where is everybody anyway? Tancred, Billy, Ben, I know that my team is helping but Gabriel, poor Gabe…"

Everyone shivered at the memory of it and Lysander bent down to examine the rock once more.

"Where do you think it leads to Sander?" asked Charlie.

"I don't really know…I think the others can escape by now, Charlie, go get your team and we'll all go find out, Team Animal will have to wait." Lysander said sadly.


	40. Welcome to the AO Society

***Sorry that this took so long, I was busy with some art projects for a summer program at my school and I had to finish paintings in art and memorize lines in drama, so enjoy! - Jenni N.***

Jessie was standing at the front gates, watching over the crowd and looking around to see if there were any signs of trouble and havoc. After a bit of watching, she grew bored and wondered endlessly on what to do now.

She looked up as she heard her name being called. "What?" she asked to the callers.

Charlie, Lysander, and Olivia were pale and sweaty. "We need your help!" Olivia said urgently.

Jessie blinked at them with surprise. "Whatever for?" she asked.

"The others may be missing but Emma, Dannielle, and Lauren are even worse," Lysander explained importantly. After explaining things to Jessie, she widened her eyes in terror and rapidly said, "I know a place like that! I don't know if it's it but I can try…"

She closed her eyes and suddenly, she felt strange feelings inside of her…

In her mind, she could see outside, only her mind was zooming to the place where she thought the other entrance was located and her mind "warped back in time" to see what happened minutes ago. She watched and saw nothing. She fast forwarded her mind and saw a few people walking in. She stopped and paused and wondered about it. She fast forwarded it and stopped to see groups of people climbing out of the entrance. Dagbert was bound to be in there.

"Found him, he's at the pier; the entrance is hidden beneath a tree." Jessie mumbled. "The tree has pink leaves and there's a cliff over it…there are…were, many footprints all over the place…however…he didn't leave yet."

Charlie and the others stared at her with awe. "How could you do that?" asked Olivia breathlessly.

"My powers," Jessie said proudly. "They strengthen. I suggest you go now before he does!" She waved the others on vigorously.

The three wandered off into the student-filled streets, passing various people. "It's like we're at a black party!" Lysander stated.

"Well, it sorta is." Olivia replied, pausing to brush off dirt off of her barefooted feet. "The dirt is killing me! Blast these heels!" she scowled. She later regretted what she said about her favorite shoes and so she stroked them as they walked.

"The pier…isn't it to the right or straight forward?" asked Charlie as they reached an intersection.

"Right," Olivia said grimly. "You can almost hear the waves on the shoreline."

The two boys listened and realized that Olivia was right. "It's calming but unnerving at the same time." said Charlie in a wistful voice as he stared at the direction of the shores, mystified.

The small party jogged to the beach-if you could call it that-and scanned the docks for a pink leaved tree that looked suspicious. Not to be found.

"Let's try over there!" Charlie suggested. He pointed to an open area filled with seaweed and dead fish that washed up and couldn't get back in the water during the high tides crawling back down to low tides.

"Over there? But I'll get my feet even dirtier! Do you KNOW how long it takes to get sand off your feet without getting sand on your feet when you head back to the streets?" Olivia demanded.

"That or you'll have to wait here for a long time!" Charlie said, crossing his arms.

Olivia looked down sadly at the sand and then her feet before taking a deep breath. "I'm going to regret this…" she mumbled under her breath as she jumped from the wooden porch and on to the sandy rocky ground. "I regret this!"

"Don't be an old sourpuss Livvy; it'll be fine once we get into the secret hideout!" Lysander said, grinning at Charlie who sniggered at Olivia who attempted to avoid being clawed by a crab (which she accidentally stepped on one).

Olivia yelped as she leaped back onto the platform. "Not a word about this!" Olivia scolded.

"Promise!" Charlie lied, shooting Olivia a grin.

Lysander nodded with a straight face. Olivia glared at Charlie. "I know you're not a good liar Charlie Bone, I'm onto you!"

This time, Charlie went first onto the sandy beach. He ran around quickly, scanning the area trying not to upset any claws.

Lysander went next and he did the exact same thing Charlie was attempting to do. "Argh! The sand's burning hot! Liv, how could you stand this?" Lysander cried, hopping up and down.

"It wasn't hot in my area." Olivia replied.

Charlie said, "Over here Sander, the sand's not so bad over here!"

Lysander hopped along the sand and over to Charlie who fidgeted with his feet.

"It IS hot over THERE but I guess we'll have to try. If only I had some A.O…" Charlie sighed sadly.

Olivia's head jerked up brightly. "The A.O! Remember them? They can tell us where the bad guys are! Charlie, you're a genius!"

Charlie laughed. "Actually, I wanted A.O, as in, Arrow Oranges, my mom sells them at the store and she brought some home the other day and they were amazing! I feel like wanting one right now…"

"Oh well, we'll go visit the A.O!" Lysander said, grabbing Charlie and Olivia's wrists and dragging them out of the sunny beach to Bloor's. "It's going to be tough but I think I remember the way to their hide out…hopefully."

"Oh, I remember it!" Olivia said joyfully. "Oooh, we're going to win this! But I wonder where we go to school afterwards, the damage is way too much to fix over the summer!"

The three pondered this until they reached the school grounds, which was in total chaos. For some reason, EVERYONE could see the gruesome girl. People cower in her wake as she floated mysteriously around the grounds with a knife in hand, a very bloody one too. The creature was as frightening as death itself.

The younger kids cried in fright, or stunned so badly, they were nearly paralyzed. The older ones just stare and backed away, some girls screamed/yelped as the creature popped up right in front of them. Charlie squinted at the clouds above. "Well, at least the clouds are retreating…"

"They aren't retreating Charlie." Lysander said bleakly.

"So what are they doing?" asked Charlie, gazing around for a hint.

"It producing more bloody figures you idiot!" Olivia shrieked as an undead bobcat dropped from the air and snarled at the three. "Run!"

She grabbed the boy's collars and they made choking sounds as they staggered along with Olivia as she trudged near the ruins.

"Come on you guys, away from there." Olivia said grudgingly.

"Okay…" the two boys said weakly, trying hard (but failing) to forget what they had just witnessed.

Olivia sighed and said, "Oh brother…"

Olivia hauled them into the shade of the trees and looked them in the eye. "Look, we had a rough day…and night, but we have to stay together, or else it would happen…we need the A.O's help to do this! Just hang on for at least another full day, that's all I ask!"

Charlie was quick to answer ("Yes,") but Lysander was hesitant.

"Lysander!" Olivia snapped.

"Alright, okay, fine." Lysander said, backing up.

Olivia left her glance on the boys for another full second before creeping forward cautiously. "Hello, A.O? Are any of you there?" I need help! WE need help that is…could you see if you could look into the future to see what would happen? We need to prevent anything evil that will happen and we need to find our friends!"

Then there was a rustle of leaves and a woman appeared, peering at them cautiously. "You are not one of the half humans?" she asked in a questioning tone. She had medium length of black hair and blood red lips. Her beauty was blocked by the dirt in her hair and her pale skin coated with a bit of mud.

"No," Olivia said gently, smiling softly at the woman.

The woman blinked and smiled in relief and confidently walked out from the bush. She was wearing a tattered red cloak, hood on her head and fastened by a golden button. The cloak reached all the way down to the ground and the woman's mysterious eyes matched; blazing maroon eyes.

"I am who they call Eln. And you are...ah, yes, Charlie, Olivia, and Lysander. I am honored to meet you all." Eln said, gracefully curtsying.

"Um…thank you?" Charlie said uncertainly. "Anyway, we need he-"

"Yes, I heard your friend speaking." Eln said, nodding to Olivia. "However, we may not be as useful as you think we would be. We had lost part of our power, which is why I haven't sensed your goodness." Eln said sadly. "I was just lucky that I sensed your names."

Now everything is starting to clear up. "What happened?" asked Lysander.

"The half humans attacked our colony and sucked most of our powers away; many are ill and need of help. Some of our scouts are around the world, seeking medicine and help while others, including me, are on the look out for more danger. The Royal Children, Hans and Funna, they are nearly dead! Angla and Gann, their parents, are pleading with the Wise Men in Africa to help. So far I don't know what else is happening. Once in a while we'll sense something, but distantly.

"But I will lead you to the colony Parliament and they will decide what to do, and don't worry, they are quite fair." Eln said smoothly, beckoning them to come closer.

The three hustled towards her and she led them away from the edge of the woods deeper into the threshold of the colony's territory. Ten minutes passed and Eln halted to a stop near a huge waterfall.

Charlie wondered if the secret door is behind the waterfalls, like in some of the movies he had watched. He watched Eln silently as she jumped up in an incredible height and flipped onto a ledge ten feet above the three kids. Olivia looked up in amazement.

"How are we going to get up there?" Lysander called.

Eln disappeared.

"Wait, we can't jump that high! Our stubby little legs aren't strong enough! Although Lysander might be able to climb up but we can't!" Charlie shouted.

Then Eln appeared and she threw down a rope ladder. "Come!" she yelled, watching Olivia step forward to climb.

She waited patiently as the three mounted the ladder and scaled up the cliff and onto the ledge. They pulled up the ladder after they reached it and followed Eln to a tunnel hidden by a boulder.

The tunnel was moist, perhaps from the waterfall, and every so often water droplets would drip onto the heads of the party. Olivia shrieked as she saw a huge fat slimy slug crawl up the tunnel walls just three inches away from her skin. She leaped away and stayed closer to Charlie, who looked at it with both disgust and amazement-who knew slugs could be THAT fat?!

Lysander had to duck sometimes when a stalactite was up ahead. He was about to ask how much further until Eln said, "This is the place."

She grabbed a hold of one of the vines at the end of the tunnel and pulled it aside and revealed a huge cavern filled with people in smaller caves in the side of the cavern in their beds, listening to doctor's orders and family members would either watched anxiously or would be in bed themselves.

The cavern was big, almost the same size as the gardens back at Bloor's Academy. Not all sides of the enormous cave held beds and homes, but some held a marketplace, post offices, pet stores, every day stores you would find in a regular town, except a bit old fashioned and, everything is in cave form…and rocky, don't forget rocky. At they very bottom, there was a huge building, presumably the Capital building, if Charlie was correct.

Eln started down the stairs and the other three followed suit, eyeing the magnificent beauty of the colony. "It's beautiful!" Olivia said in awe.

"Yes, it is a magical place, is it not?" Eln said, obviously pleased.

"So…how could your kind die or loss of power? I mean, we're all humans, right? So why can't oracles live without their powers?" asked Charlie.

Eln descended off the stairs and so did the rest of the group. She paused and said, "Because we are gifted with this power, and without our gift, we are nothing, and if we are nothing without it, then what is the point in living without your gift that the mighty Lord gave us? It will remind us of our shame or losing it, and therefore, we die in agony."

"But that's not fair!" Olivia said, shocked that the A.O would just give up like that.

"We do not decide that, it happens just like that, if we lose our gift, we do not decide to die, it just happens." Eln said sadly as she held the door open for the kids.

"Is there something we could do about it?" Lysander asked. "My ancestors are very powerful! Maybe they could do something!"

"No, use your powers for something else important." Eln said, smiling weakly as they walked across the rocky and uneven floor.

"But you ARE important! Just as important as everyone else is!" Olivia protested.

"Thank you but we will manage," a man said, walking up to them. He looked exhausted, as you could see by the dark circles around his eyes. He scratched his black hair every so often and he shook his head while he smiled bleakly. "The medicine we might receive will slow down death and soothe the pain for a bit, but not forever. We are trying our best to keep everyone alive and healthy. The only way to regain our powers and our life back is to kill the half humans who took our powers away. The half humans are-literally-half humans. Human and ghost like abilities are mixed and produce the half humans. They live forever, unless killed physically." the man said.

"We saw some an hour ago, I think," Charlie blurted out. "We could go and…lead them to you to kill!"

"Thank you for your concern but you do not need to help us, we do not want to be a burden."

"Well, could we help with the everyday chores you do around to keep everything running smoothly? Olivia could help clean, cook, look after the sick, look after the children, and more stuff while Lysander and I could go seek out ingredients for the food, get the medicine and help!"

Olivia, partially annoyed about the cooking and cleaning, said, "Yeah! We could help, but first we need to get YOUR help!"

The three explained their situation the best they could and the A.O's were excellent listeners.

At the end, they were out of breath and Eln and the man said, "We will send one of our kinds that have more power than everyone else to help. They weren't attacked as much as the others, usually the half humans go after the children, since they can't defend themselves as much as the full grown ones." the man said.

"Thank you," Lysander thanked.

Eln smiled at the man. "Yes, thank you my husband."

The man walked away and Olivia gazed into Eln's eyes. "He's your husband?"

"Yes, that he is." Eln said, smiling. She brushed off all of the leaves from her hair and wiped the mud off of her face with a cloth that she pulled out from the pocket inside her maroon colored cloak. "He may seem calm but Ookani could be a bit aggressive when it comes to battle."

"Ohh…" Olivia, Charlie, and Lysander nodded to indicate that they understood.

"I hope that your friends are alright." Eln said softly.

"We know where three girls are but the others…" Lysander broke off.

"They might be victims of the half humans." Eln said solemnly.

"What would happen to them? Would they lose their endowed powers?" asked Charlie.

"Perhaps, I do not know."

Charlie then realized something. "This sort of thing happened to my great uncle before, but it didn't include half humans. He lost his power after going to Yewbeam Castle!"

Eln gasped. "Yewbeam Cast-Oh dear, I hope he was alright!"

"He wasn't okay but he got better after he got some vervain…maybe that would help your people!" Charlie said excitedly.

You're right!" Olivia said, eyes widening with hope. "Maybe your aunt's garden contains several herbs for medicine!"

"We could sneak to Ingledew's Bookstore and get that book on herbs! Then we'll know which ones to get!" Lysander exclaimed.

Eln's eyes flashed gold and she smiled.

"Your eyes, they just went gold!" Olivai said, gazing at Eln's eyes.

"Yes, they do that when we get visions, not only do we sense, but we receive visions. And yes, we're losing that power too, we're losing all powers but slowly…I have wonderful news for you three!"

"What is it?" Charlie asked. "Tell us!" he urged.

"Well, in my vision, your missing friends, the one that were not captured by some fish boy, they're okay, but they're also not okay…and the three girls missing, they're alright too! They're just sitting there, talking…but they were talking about next week, there will be an execution next week…their execution. But other than that, they are okay for now."

The three children stared in horror. "No…" they whispered.

"Well…at least they are safe for now." Eln said weakly, crouching on the floor.

"Are you okay?" Lysander asked weakly.

"Oooh…." Eln groaned. "That took a lot of my strength. I need help…getting to my home…I need rest and water. I need your help."

"Don't worry, here…relax…" Olivia hoisted Eln up by swinging Eln's arm over her shoulder and Charlie swung Eln's other arm over his shoulders. Lysander raised her feet and they shuffled down the hall and Lysander, using his back to push the door open, was the first to back out of the capital building.

"Where is your home?" Olivai asked gently.

Eln raised her head a little. Her cloaked dragged on the ground so Olivia and Charlie were having a difficult time avoiding it so they won't trip. "Row 13, Cave 4."

The homes were in order, so they went pass by 13 caves to Row 13 and they went up 4 times to go to cave 4…simple enough.

Except one problem…to get Eln safely up the ladder will be a challenge. This time, it wasn't a rope ladder, but a ladder made of rock but it went straight up. "If only there was a telekinetic person here!" Charlie groaned.

"Do not worry, just grab a hold on the ladder and do not let go." Eln said firmly, grabbing the lowest rung on the ladder. "Now set me carefully on the ground."

They obliged. When they all held a rung in their hands, Eln said, "Up 4!"

The three kids were taken aback when the rungs raised themselves up. The rungs they held glowed yellow and the person who held the tallest one (Lysander) was to get off first.

Lysander got off, then Charlie, then Olivia, and then Eln was carefully lifted off the moving ladder and the yellow glow disappeared.

"That was cool!" Charlie and Lysander said, smiling at the ladder.

Every cave has a balcony with a rail so no one would fall off accidentally (or for any suicides).

The cave home had the usual rooms, a living room, kitchen, and three bedrooms.

The living room was the first room, and they had a rocky couch which was covered by a bear pelt, but without the bear paws and head, for it would be quite unnerving. The table was smooth and there was a counter behind the couch, which serves as the kitchen table the three kids thought out.

The chairs were just stools or rocks, covered with (deer?) skin and a few feet away from that is a smaller table where a flat stone lay with a sharp jagged rock lay swiftly on it. On it was also a clay bowl or fresh clean water ("You didn't think EVERYTHING was made of rock, did you?" Eln laughed weakly.). There was a wall and the first door was presumably the master bedroom, where Eln and Ookani sleep. The bed was wide and was covered by a white pelt and a brown pelt. The "pillows" were just some pelts clumped up.

The laid Eln on it and looked around the room, examining the everyday items of the A.O.

There were some pictures that were written on either cow hide or tree bark and a white rug lay in the middle of the room. Olivia exited and checked out the other rooms.

The other two rooms were the same, only different colored pelts and smaller beds.

When Olivia came back, she said, "Do you have two children?"

"Indeed I do," Eln said weakly, sweating. "The eldest is a girl, Milleene, and the youngest is a boy, Jack."

"Jack?" Charlie asked.

"Yes, in the spring, he would jack other people's food and hide them for fun; he's only just a baby you know."

"Oh!" Charlie understood now.

"Where are they?" asked Lysander. "Milleene is at school and Jack is at the nursery. My husband works for the Ministry and I work for the leader, Konno. He's the minister but the Royal Children have equal power with him, since they have special rights."

Eln stretched and sat up, groaning a little. "I feel a little better. Oh, this won't do! The A.C had gone out!"

Charlie and the others looked around, the room was dimmer they noticed but what does that have to do with the Air Conditioner?

"No, not air conditioner, A.C in our land means 'Assorted Candles'. Without them, our houses will smell of stinky fur and we won't be able to see as well. I will go light them…" Eln said, grinning a bit. She slowly got up and pulled open a drawer which made a sound like a rock moving across another rock, which it is. She grabbed two stones and pushed the drawer closed.

She limped to the corner and looked up. Charlie, Olivia, and Lysander looked up and on the wall high in the corner was a candle holder attached to the wall and a pink candle which had gone out. Charlie looked around and saw another candle in the opposite corner, but the candle there was blue. He had thought he had smelled two berry scents when he got here, he just didn't know where they came from until now.

She pounded the wall and rungs like from the ladder popped out. She grabbed one and said, "Corner up,"

She was lifted up and rested her foot on one of the lower rungs. Charlie, Olivia, and Lysander were flabbergasted. They should've done that! But no, they were all too worried about Eln! That would've been a lot easier to do if they were thinking straight. Poor Eln was probably dying of laughter when she saw their uncomfortable poses.

The three shifted their weight uneasily and waited for Eln to come down.

Eln had said, "Foot rest, wide." The rung that held her foot grew wide and she could stand on it without grasping the hand rung. She rubbed the stones together and they sparked, which reminded them about a special someone and a used to be invisible boy. Charlie wondered if they had come also, well, if Ollie was endowed, Samuel was too old for the Dance, which was for endowed people who were 18 or under. But it was possible for older endowed people to come as well, but could not dance when the endowed dance was to take place.

Eln safely got down and the room was lighter now. She sighed and said to Charlie, "You don't mind if you go fetch some water and an apple for all of us, do you?"

"I don't mind!" Charlie said eagerly wanting to help the poor woman.

He rushed to the kitchen and found a clay bowl of fruit. "Apples for all…one, two…three…four! Now water…"

He looked around for cups. He set the apples down on the counter and looked at the rock cabinets. "Hey, a bowl! Perfect for the apples…now for the cups…"

He closed the first one and looked in the second one. Then the third. After the fifth, he looked in the sixth without any effort until he saw glass cups.

Grabbing them, he wondered how they managed to get the glass.

"Charlie, are you aright in there?" Eln called.

"Yes, I'm fine, just had a little trouble in finding cups but I found them!" Charlie called back.

He poured the water carefully into the cups, spilling some in the process, and brought the bowl in first. "The apples," he said majestically.

"Thank you," everyone said politely.

Charlie nodded and went back to get the water.

Eln grabbed an apple and offered it to Olivia. Then she offered one to Lysander, and when Charlie got back from the kitchen, she offered one to Charlie, which he nodded. "I will after I get these cups down. How could you get glass cups anyway?"

"We look like regular people and so from time to time, we find your money and buy something for all of us and people from your kind give us some for our service." she said uneasily. Everyone knew that she meant the Bloor's. They had paid them for their service, (Love Does Damage, A Lot of Damage) and it was a touchy subject to talk about here now.

"Well, here you all go and I'll have that apple if you will," Charlie said, breaking the awkward silence. Eln was grateful that the awkward silence was broken and she said with renewed energy, "After this, we'll go talk to the Parliament and see if my husband's word was true!"


	41. The Game Plan Part One

***Sorry guys, that took a LONG time but I've been kinda busy, everyone says in summer, you have time for everything, for me, I have NO time for anything! So it's almost the end so, here I go! (Finally!!!!)***

Charlie and the others rushed up the marble stairs of the court house and in no time less, they were out again.

"Was it just me, or was that almost timeless?" asked Lysander.

"In there, time never goes by," Eln said. She was serious…at least they thought she was.

"Okay…now what? Gabriel's stuck in a cave with that monster, poor Gabe… and now we know where Fidelio and the others are. Man…we have to rescue the president's daughter as well!" Charlie exclaimed. "That's going to take forever!"

Eln looked up and smiled. "Not if the Flames are with us."

Charlie looked up and he grinned. "Flames!"

A gleam came to their eyes as the Flames raced off.

"Wait, come back! We need your help!!!!" Lysander called.

"Oh well, we can do it the other way," Eln said, shrugging.

"Okay, we'll split up, Olivia, you go help the A.O, and Lysander will go and free Gabriel, Tancred, Billy, and Ben while I go free the girls." Charlie said.

"BUT, unfortunately, without the Flames with us, instead they decide to go run off, we have no chance at all!" Olivia scowled.

She felt a small paw brush against her foot and she said weakly, "But then again, we have them all the same."

So it was decided, Aries with Lysander, Leo with Olivia, and Sagittarius with Charlie.

COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~

Jenni: Wow…that was HORRIBLE!!!! I had a bit of free time and this is what I have???? Wow…I'm lousy…eh, go figure! Anyway, I apologize, I have a horrible case of writer's block and I'm just trying to get rid of it. You see, I write better during the school years but horrible during the summer. So I'll post the next chapter soon, hopefully, and I'll be able to start on that new story to this sequel of the other story, deal? Ok, so don't wait too long, please, I hate it when people wait HOURS for me, it makes me feel bad.


	42. The Game Plan Part Two

Aries led Lysander across the mossy forest and in ten minutes flat, they approached a cave just twenty or so feet above them. It was on the side of a mountain, not a tall one, but a pretty decent one.

Lysander was about to call but Aries hissed, presumably to say, "Don't, you'll let them know we're here!"

Aries then jumped onto a rock and climbed up a tree, whose branches led a trail to the cave mouth.

Lysander felt an urge to follow but he knew he couldn't. Looking around, he found a ladder (he felt really stupid for not seeing it earlier) and he ascended himself up and peeked into the grotto.

Gabriel, Tancred, Ben, and Billy lay on the floor, squirming like worms, trying to get free of a grasp of a very hungry bird. Their feet and hands were bind and they were gagged by a cloth, hugging their skins like there was no tomorrow.

Dagbert smirked at them, once in a while, kicking them in the face if they tried to pounce at his feet. Lysander almost fell when Dagbert slammed Tancred's head into the wall. Tancred's head was bleeding and it seemed like he was knocked out by the sudden blast in the head. The dark red blood stained the rocky floors and the walls, it was gruesome and cruel, and how could a child do that to another child???

Lysander looked to the side where Aries was, Aries looked like he was about to pounce. Lysander looked back at Dagbert, where he was unaware of Aries, who was in midair by now.

Dagbert spun around when he heard the hiss and screamed as the cat hung on to his head, making him frantic as ever.

Lysander ran by and untied Gabriel, Ben, and Billy. He looked at Tancred, unsure of what to do; if he untied him, he might cause more blood to gush out, if he didn't, then how could they transport him?

There was a sudden _thud _behind them. They turned and saw that Dagbert has fallen off and had landed heavily on the ground. They turned back, not really caring what happened to the little bi- I mean, (pardon my French) devil.

Gabriel said, "We should get help,"

Aries meowed and jumped out, running back to the school in a streak.

_**Later…**_

__Olivia and Leo were roaming around the ruins. Olivia kept Leo close by, she didn't like the ruins; she loathe them. Every time Leo sped up, she would say, "Hey, wait up!"

She wasn't ready for that faceless freak to show up, she's not really the type of person to kidnap, she'll call her lawyer, but since this is a killer person, or whatever this is, the law wouldn't help.

Olivia's heartbeat grew faster and she could almost feel something crawling on her back, something breathing behind her, something half dead, something…

She turned.

And she screamed.

Jenni: Oh wait, no, it wasn't the faceless freak, it was a spider, phew, Olivia, don't scare everyone like that!

Olivia: Sorry, it was only three inches away from my face, you would scream too!

Jenni: No, I would yelp, yelping and screaming are two different things, but if that was Tancred, he would scream like a girl, oh, my bad, is he here right now? Don't let him know I said that, oh okay, good he's knocked out, I mean, wait, that's not good! Huh? Oh right, gotta let people get back to the story, okay people, my bad!

Olivia: And don't forget your "Tancred-screamed-like-a-girl" button right here! Well, he may not screamedf like one now but later-

Jenni: Olivia!

Olivia: They're free!

Jenni: Sorry! Olivia, get off the stage!!!!


	43. The Trouble

Sagittarius and Charlie crept along the passage to the secret bunker where the bad guys held the girls (excluding Olivia) captive. When they came closer to the door, Charlie began wondering WHY ebil plans have to be SOOOOO complicated, I mean, come on! They still have to destroy that statue and rescue the people and fix up the school, why so hard? He would rather take a pop quiz on a Monday morning…ok, probably not, but then again…

Sagittarius jumped up and opened the door by pushing the red button, the one that said, 'Push Me'.

The door slid open and Charlie peeked inside. He froze when he saw Emma, Dannielle, and Lauren in a cage, high above a pool of swimming fish (he rather not know what was swimming in it).

They were shaking the cage hard, yelling insults (except Dannielle who was cuddled up, frightened).

Apparently, there wasn't anyone in the room besides them, and Charlie's head where upon he stuck it inside to look. They didn't seem to care.

Sagittarius leaped in and the girls cried, "It's one of the Flames!"

Charlie ran out and they cried, "And this guy!"

Charlie, slightly insulted cleared his throat impatiently.

"Sorry Charlie, we're just grumpy…" Lauren said weakly.

"It's okay; I guess…" he added silently to himself. "So anyway…" he said loudly, looking around as his voice echoed around the empty room. "Is there a key or anything around here? Maybe something to lower you guys down?"

"Over there, that's the lever to lower the cage and they key is all the way up there." Emma said, pointing to the high ceiling (exactly 30 feet up).

Charlie looked up and said some very unkind words.

"Charlie!" Emma scolded, covering Dannielle's ears. "Watch your mouth!"

"Sorry Em, it's just that this is all so confusing! It's like this is some messed up dream." Charlie growled, backing up to the wall, attempting to scale the wall.

When he finished his sentence, he felt a slight disruption in the area, like a huge wave of drowsiness hit him. That was odd…

Finding small foot holds in the wall, he slowly climbed up. Lauren then called, "Charlie, you can't expect to make it all the way up there, it curves and you can't hold on!"

"That's the only major problem, huh?" Charlie said, looking up.

"That's not the only major problem Charlie Bone…" a voice sneered behind him.

He spun around and his stomach jumped.

"You're the problem…" the voice smirked.


	44. The Truth is Ironic

Mrs. Johnson stood there, battered up from all of the trouble the "Dance" has caused.

"I'm not really surprised to see you here and I'll be quick with this." she said simply. She turned and pulled a lever. The girls screamed as they were dropped into the pit. Charlie looked away, heart thumping horribly as he shivered, tears escaping from his eyes.

"Whoops, they're dead, oh well, there's always next time, oh silly me, that's right, there is no next time!" she said, sarcastically.

Charlie looked at Sagittarius who sat there, licking his paw. He looked back at Mrs. Johnson and fell to his knees in disbelief.

"Well Charlie…so sad about that…" she turned to the pit which now had a mix of red blood swirling around in the water. "I would've thrown you in too but no, I saved something better." She turned and stared at Charlie, who was fingering a pile of rocks.

From earlier, she didn't want to risk something like that again…or being called a bitch.

Instead, she walked behind a corner and out of Charlie's sight. Looking up, he stood up cautiously. He heard in the distance metal being dropped and the horrible words, "Sick 'em boys!" along with numerous barking.

He turned to find that Sagittarius had left him! "Sagittarius!" Charlie yelled, jogging to the back of the cavern. Why would he do that? And at this certain time!

"Nightmare, that's what this is, it's a nightmare!" Charlie yelled.

"Oh, that's correct…" Mrs. Johnson shrieked.

Charlie spun around and saw a number of dogs barking, growling, and running in his direction. Mrs. Johnson cackled. "All of you friends are gone, and no one is here to help you!!!!"

"What are you talking about, that's absurd!" Charlie yelled, desperately trying to climb the rock wall as high as he could go.

"Like I said…" Mrs. Johnson hissed. "This is just a dream…"

Charlie closed his eyes and wished that it really was a dream.

He only got up the wall five feet at least, not tall enough. The dogs jumped up, pulling him down with them. The footholds were crumbling and before Charlie could find new ones, he fell.

COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK~COTRK

"Charlie…" a faint voice whispered.

Charlie didn't open his eyes, afraid that he was in heaven; he was too good to go to Hell.

"I think he's stirring…" another voice said.

"Good going Aldric, I think you overdid it." a voice said. Who was Aldric? _Oh yeah, that French guy…_ Charlie thought faintly.

"Shush! He's waking up!" another voice went.

"Don't look at me, look at Sander!"

"Tancred!"

"Sorry…"

Charlie heard enough to open his eyes and groaned when the sunlight hit him.

"He's awake!" Olivia cried.

Charlie lifted his head slightly. He was lying in bed and all of his friends were surrounding him, including the French siblings.

The he sat straight up, yelling, "Mrs. Johnson! The Flames! Emma, Dannielle, and Lauren! The A.O! The Statue! Help! Blood! Death! Danger!"

"Relax!" Tancred said, pushing Charlie back down. "It was just a dream." Just a dream…he heard those words before…

"My brother, Aldric, he's a…how do you zay…nightmare…nightmare maker…your friends wanted to make a nightmare and to you." a girl said.

"Azura, let za boy rest." another boy said.

"So…it was all fake? The dance and everything?" Charlie said. "And I'm not expelled?"

"Oh no, you're still expelled. Manfred pulled you out of your seat in the morning when he was dressed as a girl and then Aldric ran to the rescue and put you to sleep with his powers and then argued with Manfred and lost so he and his siblings took you to the bookstore and Emma's aunt wanted to wake you up but the I had an idea and we decided to make a nightmare, although Em's aunt wasn't so sure so we had to assure her that we won't and we got you to your room and we made up a nightmare but it got so disorganized and right now your uncle Paton is now arguing with the Bloor's to let you back in and I think you will because you're endowed and I'm running out of breath so I'll shut up now…" Tancred breathed out, gasping for breath as Emma patted him on the back.

Oh…that explains it…

"So…how did these three get here?" Charlie asked.

"Oh, they're my second cousins." Olivia said. "My dad's side."

"So…where am I?" Charlie asked.

"In their hotel room. Their parents are out downtown so we had the whole place to ourselves. He's kept you under that trance for five hours now." Olivia said.

"You mean I was expelled today???" Charlie said in awe. "It felt like a week ago!"

"That the power of sleep and dreams…and nightmares…" Olivia said.

Charlie got up. "Okay…who was the one who stopped all of this?"

Billy raised his hand.

"Thank you Billy, I'm glad I have one trustworthy friend." Charlie said, smiling.


	45. The Final Ending Finally!

The next day, Charlie sat at home with his friends in his room, awaiting the final result. "I know I hate Bloor's Academy, but I just love it, I just hate the Bloors and that's it. If I truly am expelled for life, I just want to let you guys know…that I'm not really as stupid as you all think I am, I'm just a bit smarter. That's all."

"Stop your worrying, you'll be back soon." Billy said.

"Hope so,"

The group waited for two hours before Paton knocked on the door.

Lysander opened the door to reveal a grim face. Charlie, seeing the look, already assumed the worse.

Bu then his face cheered up and he laughed. "Fooled you, you're allowed to come back to Bloor's!"

"Uncle Paton, you're so rotten!" Charlie cried as his friends laughed with wonder and joy.

"Charlie Bone, you are so now, unexpelled." Fidelio and Ben laughed.

"Yep…oh wait, is that a good thing, now that I'm going back to be tortured every weekday by the Bloors?" Charlie wondered.

Silence.

"Of course it is!" Charlie confirmed.

"Welcome back!" everyone chorused. "Welcome back!"


End file.
